Children who are scared of the dark will be able to put their ghosts to rest thanks to a new invention to brighten up their bedrooms.

Paul Veitch, Richard Imms and Michael McGuigan, from Stanley, County Durham, have designed innovative night time bedroom furniture that will give children comfort and safety when walking around in the dark.

The three, who work at Union Snack in Stanley, hope their idea will prove a winner at this year's Spirit of Innovation Awards.

They have designed a fully functional bedside cabinet, with the added feature of a night light, triggered as soon as a child's foot touches the floor.

The cabinet door is fitted with a perspex sheet through which the light shines and includes a space for a picture slide of the child's choice.

Father of two, Paul, said: "My kids were scared of the dark when they were young and this idea would definitely have helped them feel safer at night."

After two years of market research and building prototypes, the trio have found no direct competition for their idea and have subsequently protected it with a patent.

Paul added: "With the help of the Business and Innovation Centre (BIC)in Sunderland, we have put together a business plan and we're hoping to find a manufacturer to license our idea out.

"The Spirit of Innovation Awards is our first step in testing the market. We know there's a lot of scope for the invention, and we hope everyone agrees with us." The closing date for entries to this year's Spirit of Innovation Awards is April 30, with finalists being announced in June.

The winner in each of the four categories - individual, student, small company and large company - wins £1,000 plus support from the organisers to develop their ideas. An overall winner will receive an additional £5,000.

For more information about the wards, contact the BIC on (0191) 516 6045.