ENTREPRENEUR Nickie Thompson has set up a speed-dating firm to combat the "cattle market" nightlife of East Lancashire.

Single mum Nickie has established 3 Minute Match to help 25-40 year olds find their perfect partner.

The 32-year-old hopes her company will plug a gap in the market for singles who find it difficult to find love in nightclubs and pubs.

She said: "When I talk to friends and other people I meet when I go out they always seem to say 'where are all the other 25-40 year-olds?'

"When you are out it's like a cattle market. There are men and women not looking for anything other than one night stands."

And Nickie feels speed-dating is the perfect antidote to that as well as a good business prospect. She said: "The single market is huge. The amount of people from our own area who use the internet to date is growing.

"But with speed-dating you are going to get 30 dates in one night."

Nickie said that three minutes is enough time to make up your mind.

"According to sex experts it takes less than a minute to find out whether you are attracted to someone physically.

"The personality then comes through as you begin to talk to that person.

"And three minutes is not too long if you don't really like the person."

Nickie, of The Grange, Oswaldtwistle, also works as a letting manager.

She has done speed-dating in other places and has met two people for further dates after the initial night.

She said: "It's good fun, but you have to go into it with an open mind and take it as a bit if a laugh at first. But the chances of having a meeting of 30 people and not finding someone you like are pretty slim!"