Owner of Durham Computers Steve Martin was recently nominated for the SFEDI Positive Choice award at the National Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative awards ceremony.

Mr Martin was recommended for the national event by Chester-le-Street and City of Durham (CDC) Enterprise Agency.

CDC offers a Business Link County Durham-contracted service to provide small businesses with advice and assistance to ensure future success in a highly competitive business arena.

Mr Martin was still at Framwellgate School, Dur-ham, when he approached CDC Enterprise Agency with the ambition of setting up his own business. Although he had offers from several universities he decided, after receiving business counselling and assistance from CDC, to launch his own business, Durham Computers.

Three years later, Mr Martin, 21, has had no cause to regret his decision. He said: "Things have gone really well. In the beginning I built and repaired computers for private individuals, but as time has gone on, I have become more specialised and now, I concentrate on the business market."