BUSINESS leaders from across East Lancashire met to recognise and celebrate the work of former Business Link chairman Roger Collinge.

Mr Collinge served as chairman of the Business Link and East Lancashire Training and Enterprise Council, and as a director of the newly-formed Business Services (East Lancashire) Ltd.

Mr Collinge, a partner at Bacup accountancy and consultancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward, worked tirelessly to help develop the business support structure in East Lancashire over the past five years.

"Roger made an outstanding contribution to the development of the East Lancashire economy by ensuring that we always delivered value for money, both for the beneficiary companies and the taxpayer," said Business Link chief executive Phil Burgess.

Mr Collinge has stepped down to concentrate on his practice. He said: "I hope that we have set an approach which seeks to provide independent, practical and value-for-money advice to our clients." Following in his footsteps is local entrepreneur Mike Murray, who has a wealth of experience in East Lancashire's business support arena. He is founder of the Guardian Angel Entrepreneurs Network, and runs a consultancy business, MTM Associates, based in Blackburn.