Toy giant Fisher Price has brought forward a product launch for the first time in its history following huge demand for accessories from the hit CBeebies series Octonauts.
Millions of parents have waited months to get their hands on toys from the animation series, which follows the fortunes of eight underwater adventurers.
Since its launch last October, the 51-part series has become the most watched animation for its age group on CBeebies.
Toy companies will typically wait a year before launching an accessories range to gauge interest and allow a fan base to build.
But parents have inundated the producers with requests for toys and a Facebook page with nearly 8,000 followers has been bombarded with enquiries.
A range of Fisher Price accessories which were due to be launched late next month has now been brought forward by six weeks.
A spokeswoman for the company said: ”We’ve had some very popular toys over the years but this is like nothing else we’ve experienced.
”The demand has been incredible. Our customer information line has been bombarded with requests.”
Octonauts is based on a range of books by US design studio Meomi and animated by London-based production company Chorion.
The programmes follow the adventures of Captain Barnacles and his crew, who live in their underwater Octopod and travel the oceans helping sea creatures.
Along with sidekicks Kwazzi, Peso, Dashi, Tweak, Professor Inkling, and The Vegimals, they race around in a fleet of submarines called the ‘Gups’.
Since its launch on October 2010, the show has become the most watched animation for children aged four to six on CBeebies and is ranked second for the same age group across all channels.
But despite its huge popularity, parents have been unable to buy any toys or accessories relating to the series.
Internet forums such as Mumsnet are full of enquiries from parents and many desperate mums have resorted to making their own models, with tips and videos being shared on Facebook and YouTube.
The new toy range will feature playsets, vehicles and figures costing between £5 and £35 and will be available from all toy retailers.
Fisher-Price Marketing Manager Wendy Hill said: ”Consumer demand for this toy collection is like nothing we’ve seen before.
”We’ve been getting calls from parents on a daily basis desperate to hear when the toys will hit the shelves. Finally we can say – the toys are out!”
