AN ARTS company set up by young people and an "ethical" holiday business run by the chief of an African village, have both won business awards.

The Prince's Trust held its North-East Business of the Year Awards ceremony at Lumley Castle, near Chester-le-Street, where Stanley firm Busy Ape Arts was declared joint runner-up.

The company, owned by Abi Baker, 25, Carl Kennedy, 26 and Gemma Cummings, 26, was set up two years ago with a £4,500 loan from the trust. They received a trophy and a cheque for £200.

The winner of the awards, held on Thursday evening, was an ethical travel company, Shia International, trading as Madventurer. It was set up by North-East man John Lawler, 28, who, when a student at Newcastle University, spent a holiday in the village of Shia, in Ghana, where he improved the local school. As a result, he was made a chief of the village in 1998.

He set up his company in Newcastle two years ago with the aid of a Prince's Trust loan of £2,000 and now sends volunteers to communities in places such as Kenya, Uganda and Guatemala.

The company stands to win £4,000 in the national finals.

The other joint runner-up was North Shields company The Whyman Group, a corporate event organisation set up by Emma Whyman.

Mike O'Hara, of the Royal Bank of Scotland, which sponsored the event, said: "John Lawler, from Madventurer, has put a great deal of energy, enterprise, and innovation into his business.