ALARM installer Jim Mullarkey has been chosen from thousands of small businesses across the North-East to star in an advertising campaign.

Family business Custom Alarms employs two people, installing burglar and fire alarms in homes and businesses.

It has been chosen to front a campaign by internet company signposter.

com Mr Mullarkey's business is now displayed on billboards across Newcastle, giving the entrepreneur publicity he admits he could never have dreamt about.

Signposter.com has chosen Newcastle as the first city to launch its service for small businesses, which allows owners to design their own advertisement from millions of images and graphics.

They can then see their company on the poster sites of their choice.

Mr Mullarkey, from Cramlington, Northumberland, said: "I couldn't believe it when I got a phone call asking me if I wanted to be the company they used in their launch. I thought it was a wind-up by You've Been Framed.

"I set up my business over 25 years ago and have always relied on word of mouth advertising, but when this opportunity came along, I couldn't believe it. I'm really proud to have my 15 minutes of fame after all these years of hard work.

" I am getting a lot of calls from friends and family already saying they have seen my posters; and we're standing by for the phones to go crazy."

Simon Read, of Signposter.com, said: "When small businesses look at big poster sites, they often see Coca Cola or Ford, and think they could never afford a poster, never mind know where to go to book one.

"Now we can help them advertise their company in a big way through a simple website."

A free event is being held today, in The Assembly Rooms, in Newcastle, where up to £1,000 of posters will be given as a prize. To register, visit signposter.

com