SMOKE-filled staff rooms could be a thing of the past thanks to a novel North-East company.

A smoke and weather shelter company is to create ten jobs in its first 18 months.

Bill Harris launched Smoke and Weather Shelters UK in Washington after he read about recent health concerns around passive smoking and decided to research into existing smoke shelters - only to find that they were all much designed like bus shelters.

He decided to put together some initial designs and approached the North East Business and Innovation Centre's (BIC) Product and Process Development Unit (PPDU) for support in building his prototypes.

He set up a business - Nulite - in 1998 with support from BIC, and constructed a machine to create larger than average skylights.

Mr Harris realised he could use the same machine to develop moulds for canopy tops and customise shelters for smokers or from the weather.

He said: "Now after our hard work we have started constructing prototypes to meet our six main designs - one that is circular, one rectangular, a half arch, a full arch, a triangle to sit comfortably into a corner and also a simple flat top version that would be fixed directly on the wall."

Mr Harris is looking to develop a website for the user to virtually build their own shelters and specify their exact requirements.