NORTH-EAST young entrepreneur Chris Imrie is expanding his business to keep pace with interest in his web-based wireless application service.

Textalot.com uses the latest e-mail and SMS technology to deliver an information channel that allows the user to control what, when and how they receive information to their computer or mobile phone.

They can gain access to news and information, special offers and discounts on a range of subjects including sport, music, travel and entertainment.

Textalot Mobile Marketing, the holding company, is a wireless application developer.

Mr Imrie, 22, a graduate of the University of Northumbria, set up his business last year.

Recently he has signed deals with Federation Brewery, Momentum Pictures, sportinglife.com and Sony to offer Textalot users news and offers.

From September, users will be able to log on to a redesigned textalot.com website to register their personal details and topical preferences, and receive messages on their selected categories of interest.

For example, a sports fan could specify not only that he was interested in Newcastle United, but that he only wanted news updates and offers relating to Alan Shearer, three times a week, on his e-mail and SMS text messaging service.

Mr Imrie said the success of his firm was down to it being permission based.

He said: "People are fed up with unsolicited text messages that cost them money.

"With textalot.com, if you don't want it, you won't get it."