THE North-East man who is chief of a remote African village is in line for a business award after setting up a travel company to send volunteers to developing countries.

John Lawler, 28, is one of six finalists in the North-East Business of the Year award.

He hit the headlines in 1998 when the 3,000 inhabitants of Shia, in Ghana, made him a chief of the village.

Then a student at Newcastle University, he spent a holiday improving the village school and was made chief in recognition of his work.

On his return to the region, Mr Lawler won a grant from the Prince's Trust and founded Shia International.

He set up a travel agency, the Madventurer programme two years ago. The ethical travel company started out sending teachers and students to Shia to carry out voluntary work. It has since expanded to take in communities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, plus Peru and Guatemala in South America.

Mr Lawler will find out if he has won the coveted award at a ceremony in Lumley Castle, County Durham, on Thursday.

The other companies with a chance of winning the award are:

* Fashion design and manufacturing company Embelliss, from Darlington;

* PKT Recruitment Services, from Middlesbrough;

* Community arts company Busy Ape Arts, based in Stanley, County Durham;

* Landscape gardener and ground works contractor Handy Andy, from Berwick, Northumberland;

* The Whyman Group, a corporate event planning company based in North Shields.