COUNTRY house hotel Cwrt Bleddyn (pictured) has been chosen to host the awards lunch for this year's Gwent Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Situated amid beautiful countryside on the Caerleon to Usk road, the venue is a suitable backdrop for the resolution of Gwent's premier business competition.

Scheduled for October 28, the lunch will be attended by Welsh Development Agency chairman Roger Jones, who will present the prizes.

A first prize of £3,500 in cash and vouchers is up for grabs, plus runners-up prizes and a special award of £1,000 to be spent on training. Application forms are now available for entrepreneurs 35 years old or under in any business sector.

Gwent Young Entrepreneur was founded 12 years ago by Newport accountants Peacheys, and the firm - which is led by Roger Peachey - continues to be its champion.

It is supported by main sponsors Barclays, M4 Business Breakfast, Newport and Gwent Enterprise and the South Wales Argus.

Last year's event was won by Ross Porter, who founded Caer-philly-based Draig Personnel.

Mr Porter also carried off the £1,000 training prize put up by M4 Business Breakfast.

Stephen Hole, of Ridgeway Contractors, Tredunnock, was runner-up, and Tuesday Burgess, of Maggie Dog Films, won a special merit award. Application forms for the free-to-enter event have now been streamlined to take as little time to fill in as possible.

They're available from Sam Peachey on 01633 213318 or samantha.peachey@peacheys.co.uk