ENTREPRENEURS have been selected to take part in a project aiming to breathe new life into a North-East high street.

Middlesbrough was one of seven shopping destinations across the UK chosen to let young traders aged between 16 and 30 road-test their business ideas.

As part of the ‘Test Town’ initiative, each town will select the most successful start-up with the winners from each area competing against each other at a pop-up festival later this year.

Fledgling firms chosen to test trade in Middlesbrough are interiors firm Fusion Designs, Taiwanese tea room and art gallery Bubble CreativiTea, urbanwear fashion label Major London 5, printer and personalised product maker Moments in 3D, and a company offering business adverts called Yummy Ads.

The scheme, launched by the charity Carnegie Trust UK and supported by Middlesbrough Council and Middlesbrough College will provide training for four days before the companies open to the public.

They will set up shop in vacant units in the Hill Street Centre and the Dundas Arcade on Friday, May 23, and Saturday, May 24.

The other areas taking are part are Coleraine, Rhyl, Kirkintilloch, Bury St Edmunds, Manchester and Perth.

The regional winner will claim £500 of start-up funding and the overall national winner will secure a £10,000 investment in their business as well as ongoing support from Carnegie UK Trust and its partners.