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Staff at fantasy miniatures maker Games Workshop have been handed a £5 million bonus following a year of solid sales and profits.

A total of 1,713 employees will share the payout, which Games Workshop said is in recognition of their contribution to what is expected to be another stellar set of results.

The Nottingham-based group said on Friday that it expects to report annual pre-tax profit of at least £74 million, up from last year's £38.4 million.

Jared Adams was in the Friar Lane store on Saturday.

The 28-year-old graphic designer who lives in Lenton, said: "It looks great for the company to be doing that well.

"I have been shopping at Games Workshop for years and they have never let me down.

"I think it's very well deserved for all the staff."

Revenue is also expected to jump, from £158.1 million to £219 million, with the firm boosted by £10 million in licensing royalties.

The results have also been helped by online sales and the continued popularity of tabletop game Warhammer.

Warhammer fan Martin Beck, 22, of West Bridgford, said: "It's an impressive figure and I am glad the company are giving back to the staff and not just filling the bank more and more.

"The staff are always very friendly and it really puts Nottingham on the map.

"Lots of people play Warhammer as is shown by the profits. They are just right to award the workers."

However, shares were down over 6 percent after the miniatures company said it intends to half its full-year dividend to 30p.

Investors were also fretting over first-quarter figures.

Charles Hall, analyst at Peel Hunt, said: "We continue to like the long-term prospects, but the shares feel toppy given that first-quarter sales are likely to be lower than last year.

"The company has plenty of new product launches over the summer, but these are unlikely to match a 40k product launch, hence our expectations that first- quarter 2019 sales will be lower than the prior year."

Nevertheless, over the past 12 months, Games Workshop shares have risen by nearly 150 percent as the firm continues to bounce back from a difficult period when sales faltered.

Games Workshop makes 75 percent of its revenues overseas, so has benefited from the Brexit-induced collapse in the pound.

At the start of the year Games Workshop, which has its head office in Willow Road, Lenton , reported record profits and revenues.

Titles include Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar and The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game.

The company ranked 29 in the Post’s list of Nottinghamshire’s Top 200 Companies 2017 , based on its turnover of £118 million for the year ending May 2016.

Last year Games Workshop was re-branded to Warhammer.