MORE than 400 would-be entrepreneurs visited Alcester's first Enterprise Week held at the Greig Centre recently.

The five-day event was organised by the Alcester Business Network and was themed to cover community enterprise, rural enterprise and farm diversification, tourism, hospitality and retail, engineering, manufacturing and technology and arts and creative industries.

There was support from business organisations, including the Womens' Business Development Agency and Business Link, and established local firms.

Tony Turner, managing director of GreenMech Engineering at Kings Coughton, said: "My company was involved in the national forestry machinery event on the same day but I was determined to support this to show the best of our local engineering industry."

Abbie Cooke, who recently launched her business Beauty at Work Ltd, held an afternoon of creative activities for younger entrepreneurs including sixth formers from Alcester Grammar School.

Mike Woollacott, of Alcester Business Network, said: "We've had a great response from local businesses and business organisations and this seems to have caught the attention of local people who have ideas of starting their own business. With our own enterprise hub at Minerva Mill and our own online local business organisation, Alcester Business Network, everything is in place to make Alcester the place to start and run a successful business."

Anyone interested in starting their own business can call Mr Woollacott on 01789 761337.