Businesses in the North- East are planning to grow, with small firms leading the way on expansion plans, research showed.

Nine out of ten businesses questioned are planning to grow during the next two years, according to the Enterprise Survey, conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

In the North-East, nine per cent of companies surveyed were classed as high-growth businesses, compared with the national average of 16 per cent.

High-growth businesses - those expected to expand by more than 30 per cent annually - are most likely to be "micro", with up to nine staff, or small, with fewer than 50.