NEARLY 2,000 young people from County Durham were yesterday urged to aim high and develop a passion for success.

The year 12 students, from sixth forms and further education colleges, were attending a seminar at Newcastle Opera House.

Helping to inspire them was motivational expert Michael Heppell, who has spent a decade working in the field of human development.

The day was devoted to providing the young people with long-term motivation.

Mr Heppell said: "It's no accident that some people are more successful than others. Are some people lucky? Do others seem to be in the right place at the right time?

"Highly successful people have in place strategies and techniques, which they use to optimise their performance to ensure their success."

Those attending yesterday's event were helped to identify what was holding them back in order to understand for themselves how they can overcome it.

They were all urged to set new standards for themselves and to move from doing a good job to aiming to doing a brilliant job.