A PRESTON businessman claims a local training organisation - designed to help people run their own businesses - is leaving would-be workers on the street because of red tape madness.

Ilyas Sakaria, who runs Direct Business Services, a company which provides financial and administrative advice to firms, says youngsters he has helped to start up businesses have ended up back on the dole because of LAWTEC's bureaucracy.

To receive funding for businesses, LAWTEC and other organisations demand that candidates have sat through a week-long training course.

But according to Ilyas, pictured with Umar Samir (left), many of the people he helps can't understand the week-long course because of the way it is arranged.

He said: "I teach them everything that is on the course on a one-to-one basis and they understand it.

"But people like LAWTEC and the Prince's Youth Business Trust do not appreciate this and will not give funding.

"So these young people are forced to go on a course which leaves them demoralised because they can't understand it, even though they are skilled and have a great business plan.

"To me, it is just a way of LAWTEC filling up training courses."

He added: "We started helping youngsters in this area when we saw them on the streets. They don't want to be there.

"I believe if they have been given independent advice from people like me then they should be allowed to fast-track this course."

One success story is Samir Umar, who started up a valeting business. He could not complete the training course so funding from the bank, LAWTEC and Princes Trust was denied. He only managed to get going with loans from friends and with help from Ilyas."

Tony Bickerstaffe, LAWTEC's managing director, said: "We provide many services helping business off the ground. We have been very successful in that, and the feedback we get from people who attend our course is that they find it very positive and helpful.

"We are determined to produce quality businesses and we do not focus on quantity."

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