A 16-YEAR-old travelling showman is taking his family sweet stall into the 21st Century by launching an Internet-based company.

Sweets of Yesteryear was set up by James Stokes' grandparents and is a name that has been seen at shows and galas throughout the UK for more than 40 years.

Mr Stokes, following in the footsteps of his parents and grandparents, has been travelling all his life and has decided to take the Sweets of Yesteryear into the realms of e-commerce.

Based at Hetton-le-Hole, near Sunderland, Mr Stokes approached the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) for support for his venture.

He said: "I was born into the family business and know Sweets of Yesteryear inside out, but I needed guidance on how to transform this long-standing tradition of showmanship into a website.

"With little knowledge of information technology, I looked to the North East BIC for support and received guidance on training opportunities, launching the website and grants for my capital equipment.

"I've learnt so much in a short space of time and now feel confident enough to run the website without any problems at all. A lot of people can recall a time when sweet shops were on the corner of their street and reminiscence over sweets they miss from their childhood.

"I know that the sweets ordered on the website will not just be for personal consumption but will also be bought as gestures for friends and family."

The website, which is still under construction, will be at www.sweetsofyesteryearuk.com