A TEAM of experts is seeking to prove that anyone is capable of starting a business.

Individuals are invited to enter a competition, called the Enterprise Island challenge, from which ten people will be chosen for a fast-track introduction to becoming an entrepreneur.

Four heats will be held across the North-East where a panel of judges will decide who should progress to the next stage.

The judges are not necessarily looking for a business idea, experience or qualifications but an enterprising nature and willingness to learn.

The panel will include Alison Barton, the opera singer and creator of Naked Opera, David Smith from One NorthEast and Iain Scott, a top UK specialist in entrepreneurship and the person behind the Enterprise Island concept.

The participants will be taken away for two weekend retreats at two top North-East hotels, where they will be taken on a series of intensive and fun challenges and receive help and funding worth £2,500 from business experts.

Each will be allocated a mentor and given top-level tuition, a personal action plan and helped to develop a business plan. Mr Smith said: "My philosophy is that most people are entrepreneurs - they just don't know it yet."

Regional development agency One NorthEast is backing the project. Tim Cantle-Jones, One NorthEast board member, said: "Nearly 11m people in Britain want to start their own business, but figures show that only a fraction of this number get out and actually do it."

To enter, call 0800 0711 811 to register. Heats will be held tomorrow at the Queen's Head Hotel, Morpeth; on Saturday, at Carmel RC Technology College, Darlington; on Monday in Durham town hall and next Tuesday, March 11, at the Bioscience Centre, Centre for Life, Newcastle.

Sarah Agar, from collectible toys shop Popcorn, helped launch the Enterprise Island challenge at Teesside International Airport.