SEASONED business traveller Peter Emslie is harnessing burgeoning e-commerce to "surf" his way to Hong Kong and China and other Far East destinations.

At the tender age of just 25, the Bury man has become a high-flyer in more ways than one.

And the world wide web as well as the world is certainly at his feet.

For he has harnessed the distinct and rewarding advantages of a presence on the Internet to act as an electronic "shop window" to advertise surplus stock sourced from abroad.

And his company's web page is certainly "ripe" for business, given its name is "pinktomato.com."

This company, of which Peter is chief executive, is the Internet arm and division of Newcastle-based REM Europe.

REM's core business involves buying excess and surplus stocks of hundreds of goods from overseas.

And "pinktomato.com" has been established by Peter to find sales outlets for the goods which are then sold at up to half the cost of those in stores and shops. So far, the number of "hits" on the Internet site has been staggering.

"Believe it or not, we get as many as 5,000 'hits' on our web site a day," says the former St Gabriel's High School and Holy Cross College student.

"What's even more surprising is that we haven't actually advertised the fact we are on the Internet."

After graduating with a degree in business studies, the Bury man then travelled out to Hong Kong and later came into contact with REM Europe.

He then went to work with them and now heads their "pinktomato.com" division.

Peter has the enviable task of visiting clearing houses, trade fairs and factories in the Far East and elsewhere to source suppliers of massive stocks of goods which can then be advertised for sale on the Internet at substantial discounts.

"Among the items we sell are books, furniture, watches, household goods and many other items," he said. "Later, we hope to be able to offer cars.

"In the future, our 'pinktomato.com' web site will have around 330 different lines."

While many other businessmen approach e-commerce with some trepidation, Peter has been swift to embrace and utilise the full potential such worldwide trading can bring, certainly in terms of international and domestic retail selling.

"For some time before, I had been thinking very seriously about how to be able to get goods to the public cheaper than the traditional methods of distribution.

"Pinktomato.com and Internet retailing now allows that to happen and I'm delighted at the response so far," concluded Peter.