TWICE winner of the Spirit of Innovation Awards David Dunn is helping to champion the event with the region's future workforce.

The father of five, from Stockton, won the individual award in 2000 for a fire extinguisher, following that achievement in 2001 with the same award for a new style of self assembly furniture for children.

The Open University lecturer and teacher of design and technology at Yarm School is teaching new generations and helping to transform them into budding inventors who could influence the region's economy for years to come.

Mr Dunn said: "It's important for pupils to understand a logical problem-solving design process by developing their capabilities and knowledge of how materials work and by experiencing different properties of materials, tools and techniques."

Mr Dunn teaches pupils from the age of 11 problem-solving techniques, helping them to design and make projects such as clocks and electric cars.

A high number of his students go on to study the subject at GCSE level and beyond, often going on to degree courses in engineering and architecture.

He said: "At Yarm we also place emphasis on what is needed in order to commercialise products, looking at business plans, and market research and in some cases, working with businesses in particular industries."

Mr Dunn has guided several pupils to the Spirit of Innovation Awards. Three of them were finalists last year, with one going on to scoop the overall prize. A-level student Angus Merriam, 17, from Yarm, pipped his two classmates to the post with his innovative Vibe Awake alarm clock for people hard of hearing.

His colleagues Phillip Cowan and Huw Miller were short listed for their ideas - a sheep feeder and a surgical instrument for use during hip replacements.

Mr Dunn is preparing A-level students for the competition.

Matthew Lewis, Catherine Turnbull and Richard Merriam, Angus's twin brother, have already submitted their ideas, including devices that differentiate between the colours of various objects for the colour blind, a multi-purpose hiking pole containing an emergency beacon and a machine that will deliver drinks for the seriously handicapped.

This year's awards are on June 26 at Ramside Hall, in Durham.