A 47-year-old former local radio DJ is set to battle 17 younger contestants, five of which are more than half her age, to become Lord Sugar's latest business partner.

The Apprentice contestant Ruth Whiteley will follow in the footsteps of fellow Harrogate resident Kristina Grimes, who overcame competition from Katie Hopkins to become a finalist in the third series of the TV show in 2007.

Mrs Whiteley, the owner of North Yorkshire-based sales training consultancy Impact, is hoping to use her background in telephone sales to secure a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar and defeat contestants in the 11th series.

The former Harrogate Grammar School and BBC Radio Leeds DJ's rivals include a hair extensions specialist, a plumber who models himself on Hugh Hefner, a former beauty queen, and a builder.

She said her biggest business achievement to date had been in setting up telephone sales teams for an online schooling company in Scotland and Australia, as well as expanding the growth of a US sales team.

Ahead of the series, which starts on Wednesday, October 14, she said: "Lord Sugar might think I’m a bit gushing, he might find me over-zealous, but... he’ll think I’m great."

The first episode will see the contestants sent to Billingsgate Market to pick up seafood at the lowest price, before producing and selling meals.