A unique development and training programme for entrepreneurs and businesses is set to be launched this month.

Cumbrian Entrepreneurs, set up by Keith McMean and Stuart McLennan, aims to put people through the paces of running their own business via an innovative real time simulation.

Mr McMean, of Whitehaven, said: "It's not just sitting down in classroom and talking people through what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

"The simulator programme makes it possible to see what your company would look like in real time and how the decisions you make would affect it.

"It's not just for entrepreneurs who want to know what they can achieve, businesses can also use it to help their teams grow and college or university students can use it to find out what it's like to run a business.

"Once people have gone through the simulation, they enter a programme which can help them overcome the challenges that may have been highlighted during the simulation."

Mr McMean and Mr McLennan said they were already talking to major players across Cumbria about introducing it into their organisations.

Taster sessions will be held on May 17 in Whitehaven, May 31 in Carlisle, June 14 in Kendal and June 28 in Barrow.