A unique event to encourage more people to think about starting their own business is being held in the region tomorrow.

The Start Your Own Business event, organised by Business Link Tyne and Wear on behalf of all the region's Business Links and regional development agency One NorthEast, is the first major event in a strategy to encourage more people to start up on their own.

The event is being held at two locations - The Samsung Training Centre at Wynyard and the Telewest Arena in Newcastle - enabling as many people from across the region to attend.

The doors to both venues will be open between 10am and 6pm and admission is free. Carol Taylor, enterprise manager at Business Link Tyne and Wear, said: "Research commissioned by us last year, showed that there are more than 87,000 residents in Tyne and Wear alone who believe they could start their own business.

"It also found that one of the biggest problems for those people was that other people didn't think they were capable of running a business."

She added: "Tomorrow's event is aimed at encouraging people across the region to come and find out what they really need to know to run a business and the kind of support that is available to them."

The event will feature a host of professional business advisors, as well as entrepreneurs from across the North-East sharing their views and experiences.

Each of the venues is divided into five zones covering everything from the importance of finding and developing a business idea to how to get started, what information you need to know and where to find it.

There will be seminars throughout the day, including guest speakers such as tennis star and entrepreneur David Lloyd, Martin Healy, managing director of Galaxy Radio, Dave Charlton, founder of the Officer's Club, and John Marshall, who established Durham Pine.

Tim Cantle Jones, board member of One NorthEast, said: "This regional event marks the start of an ongoing strategy aimed at helping people to take the important first steps and supporting start-up business once they have done so.

"By working closely with Business Links we aim to ensure the potential entrepreneurs of the region have a successful and sustainable future."

To find out more about the event contact 08456 018019.