A NORTH-East based voiceover artist will play a small but integral role in ensuring next year's London Olympics go smoothly.

Emma Hignett, whose voice is already heard across the capital's bus network telling passengers when to alight, has recently been back in the studio recording the new bus stops for the Olympics.

It comes as the former radio presenter's reassuring tones have seen her win new work in the US and in the running for a contract in the Middle East.

It was in 2006 that Emma Hignett Voiceovers, based in Staindrop, County Durham, won the contract to supply more than 30,000 'next stop' and 'alight here for' announcements for 700 stops on the capital's bus network.

The nine year contract has seen her record announcements for the service around three times a year as stops and new routes are introduced.

Her latest recording session heard her saying "alight here for the Olympic Stadium."

The 41-year-old said: "I was asked to do some new ones, one of which was to announce the Olympic stadium as the next stop. It's very exciting.

"It is nice I might be helping out in a little way, but I am proud of the bus project overall, which is a big body of work.

"It is amazing to realise seven million people are listening to you every day."

Mrs Hignett won the original contract after her voice was chosen ahead of nine other hopefuls because her voice was seen as informative rather than bossy and unlikely to irritate passengers.

In a test period 99 per cent of surveyed passengers thought she was right for the job.

Other recent work has included a project for international payment agent Visa in the US, which saw her provide 7,000 different options for the firm's telephone network.

She added: "I have had three contracts, one smaller and two quite big in the US in the last few months and I am waiting to hear about one in the Middle East.

"There is something about the English accent anywhere in the world."

With more and more automated systems and announcements Mrs Hignett believed it was a good time for businesses like hers.

She added: "The internet and automation of phone systems are a big growth area.

"There are companies creating manuals online and of course technology makes it easier to do work for people overseas."

She has built a recording studio at her home and also works out of Barnard Castle's NeST Business and Community Hub.

The hub is the first rural satellite office for the Tees Valley based DigitalCity Business project, aimed at fostering a world class digital industry in the region.

Mrs Hignett, who has a two-year-old son Thomas added: "DigitalCity and NeST have been great.

"It makes me very proud that I can do this from home, then run down to the nursery to pick up my son. I love the fact that we live and work in a great place.

Mark South, Director of Cluster Development for DigitalCity Business said: "She's proving that you don't have to base yourself in a large urban centre to succeed."