A firm that created a revolutionary road surface has won a major national competition and the support of Sir Richard Branson.

Macrebur has won Virgin Media's Voom contest after making a successful pitch to a panel of business experts, including Sir Richard.

The company makes an asphalt called Plasmac, which is made using waste plastic rather than bitumen. It triumphed in the start-up category and its prize is a share of £1m in prize money as well as marketing support and free broadband.

Macrebur, which was set up in January, made it to the final after a public vote, then pitching to a panel and taking part in a series of workshops.

The pitch was made by Toby McCartney, 38, a former pupil of Lime House School at Dalston near Carlisle who now lives at Eaglesfield, just across the border in Dumfries and Galloway.

He runs the business with friends Nick Burnett, 39, and Gordon Reid, 37, who also live in the Eaglesfield area.

This final pitch took place at ITV Studios in London on Tuesday.

Mr McCartney told Sir Richard and the panel: "It [Plasmac] finds a use for the millions of tonnes of waste plastic and it reduces the millions of pounds spent on road maintenance and pot hole repair.

He added: "Our roads are stronger - 60 per cent stronger - longer lasting, do not pot hole and are cheaper, £350,000 a year cheaper."

Mr McCartney is a long-time admirer of Sir Richard and wrote to him as a child for inspiration.

He came up with idea for Plasmac while in India, where he saw pickers at landfill sites removing waste plastic and other objects.

"Who would have thought old rubbish can make our roads 60 per cent cheaper?" he said.

After taking the prize, an emotional Mr McCartney thanked his business partners and said: "This is the best news that I have ever had."

Announcing the winner of the Start-up competition, Sir Richard Branson said: “I quite like the idea of driving on roads made out of plastic and old rubbish. As I said earlier, I’d love to see solar panels put into them as well, so … Toby, you’ve won.”