You may have managed to miss the referendum but you would need to have been on a Martian package holiday not to know about Loom Twister, the creative craze in which girls, and yes, boys have been producing friendship bands, charm bracelets and even clothing made from rubber bands.

Glasgow-based toy company H Grossman, which pioneered the craze, has won a coveted gold award in the Independent Toy Awards 2014, a gong awarded by independent directory Toy Shop UK, to the toy most likely to be the big Christmas sensation. Loom Twister received top marks from more than 350 of the best independent toy retailers in the UK, for products ranging from simple starter packs to cases with more than 25,000 bands. These awards only go to purveyors of first-class products, and to trusted independent toy industry figures such as Martin Grossman, the brains behind the craze. He said: "We are delighted to be awarded this gold award; it recognises the effort and creativity of our team here in Glasgow. It's a great accolade for the company."