A POSSIBLE £10,000 prize is up for grabs for East Lancashire's top young business brain.

Burgeoning talents from across the region are being urged to enter Shell LiveWIRE's search for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006.

The competition showcases the nation's most outstanding young entrepreneurs aged 16-30, whose businesses will have been trading for between three and 18 months on March 31.

The winner of the North West regional heat will receive up to £3,000 and be invited to the UK final in June, where they will compete for £10,000.

East Lancashire entrepreneurs have an impressive record to uphold in the competition.

In 2004 husband and wife team Andy and Samantha Bradshaw, of Blackburn-based design company Oneighty Creative were named the North West's Young Entrepreneurs of the Year.

Companies are invited to enter by contacting Shell LiveWIRE on 0845 757 3252 or completing an application form online at www.shell-livewire.org/ awards.

East Lancashire hopefuls are being offered a helping hand in the form of Jo Evans, projects manager for the Hyndburn Enterprise Trust and Ribble Valley Enterprise Agency.

She can be contacted by e-mailing info@hyndburn enterprisetrust.co.uk