Sweets, black cabs and Morris dancing: Five of Britain's most weird and wonderful export success stories

The UK has signed an agreement to export £45m worth of pig semen to China.

So it's good news for British pig farmers and will go some way to sustaining the largest pig population in the world.

But the unorthodox trade deal isn't the first time the UK has furthered its interests abroad by exporting unusual home-grown goods.

Here are further examples of weird deals.

NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE

The brown ale famously from the North-East is not particularly fashionable in the UK.

However, while 'Newkie Brown' is seen as a tipple for the older, working class drinker on these shores, in the US it is marketed as a much trendier, young person's beer.

It is said that export of Newcastle Brown Ale accounts for over half the brewery's total output.

Referred to as simply 'Newcastle' in the States, it is even sold in a special 'Geordie Schooner' glass across the pond.

LONDON BLACK CABS

The famous black cab - an iconic London sight synonymous with the capital - also enjoys a lot of success abroad.

'London Taxi Exports' have been selling the classic British cab overseas for almost 20 years, with France being a particularly successful export destination.

The company say there is 'great affection' for the distinctive vehicle in France.

Elsewhere, left-hand drive versions are sold to foreign markets and used by hotels, restaurants, film companies and museums, among others.

CLARKS SHOES

Perceived on these shores as a somewhat unfashionable, dated footwear brand, Clarks nonetheless has had a resurgence in foreign markets.

[Britain an 'old country' for tourists and students, say China media]

Shoes by the Somerset-based manufacturer are particularly popular in China and Jamaica, where they were even featured in a rap song by musician Vybz Kartel.

While numbers were down for Clarks in the UK, its sales increased in the US and Asian market by 20 per cent.

BARRATT'S SHERBET FOUNTAINS

The selling power of nostalgia helped Barratt's Sherbet Fountains become an international hit in 2010.

Demand from British expats for the cult sweet helped secure a deal to supply three million Sherbet Fountains to Australia in 2010.

Blackpool-based Tangerine Confectionary landed the deal with Australian Bulk Foods. They also exported 70,000 cases of Taveners Proper Sweets to supermarkets 'down under'.

MORRIS DANCING

The traditional English folk dance is a quintessentially British scene - but it's also a hugely successful as a more unusual cultural export.

Expats have introduced the quirky group dance to countries worldwide, and it has gained a particularly large following in Hong Kong.

Many worldwide Morris dancing groups encourage locals to join in. New Zealand, North America and Australia have also developed their own collective Morris dancing organizations in recent decades.