A TEAM of microelectronics experts and the company they helped to develop an emergency lighting system have picked up a national award.

Kablefree Systems and experts from Northumbria University have developed a radio-controlled lighting system that requires no cables and can be installed quickly with little disruption.

They received the Small and Medium Enterprises and University Collaboration award at the Engineer Technology and Innovation Awards, in London, on Friday.

They worked together on a joint project to develop a radio emergency lighting system.

Powered by batteries, the system has been installed in a leading London hospital.

Director Thomas Lovell said: "This has been a very successful collaboration and one which illustrates perfectly how North-East companies can benefit from working with our universities.

"The new lighting system we have developed in conjunction with experts at Northumbria University is the first of its kind and is attracting great interest from companies all over the world."

The development team included John Wilkinson, of Knowledge House, an organisation that encourages and sources funding for university/business collaboration in the region.

He said: "We are linked to all five North-East universities - Durham, Teesside, Sunderland, Northumbria and Newcastle - and can help set up and partfund collaborative contracts with companies of any size.

"Kablefree is a great example of what can be achieved, but is only one of more than 1,200 collaborative projects that have taken place in the region over the past ten years through Knowledge House."