A YOUNG entrepreneur is stepping into the unknown after setting up his own gaming shop.

Gamezone, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, is the brain-child of 19-year-old Stephen Foley, who lives in the town.

Previously working as an apprentice at Accrington furniture maker Baron Mercer, Stephen said the decision to launch the shop was a major step but one he was excited about.

He said: "I decided to give it a go and run my own business.

"I'm a bit nervous about it but am really looking forward to it because it's the first time I've run something like this."

The former pupil of Moorhead High School, Accrington, had a stint in the army after leaving school and said the prospect of being his own boss was one that appealed to him.

As well as selling all the latest games, Gamezone will also offer customers the chance to play on consoles in the shop's basement.

He said: "Downstairs I will have games consoles so people can play on PS3s, Nintendo Wiis and all the latest ones.

"There will also be more retro consoles such as Segas that people can come in off the streets and use.

"There will be a charge to play on them and the newer consoles will be slightly more expensive to use, not by much though."

The idea is to give people the chance to play on a console for just a few pounds at a time.

And Stephen believes this will also have other benefits.

He added: "They can try the games before they buy them.

"I've found that when I've bought games, if you don't like them when you get them home you have to take them back and you lose money on them.

"This way customers know exactly what they are getting."

Stephen said his passion for gaming was a key to him setting up the business and it was being funded by his own cash.

He intends to apply to various funding streams for grants including the Prince's Trust.