YOU won't see them behaving like this in the office - but Yorkshire's top business brains are preparing to swap sales figures for stage presence.

For the third year in a row, The Deep End - the nerve-jangling, adrenaline-fuelled corporate concert which combines the glamour of The X-Factor with the naked ambition of Dragon's Den - will see entrepreneurs becoming entertainers tonight.

York's Grand Opera House is the venue as 18 companies run the gauntlet of performing a song they have only rehearsed once in front of a 1,000-strong audience, in random order.

Having paid £750 to take part, they will be each be backed by their own army of 40 supporters and the winner gets £3,000 for a charity of their choice, with the event raising thousands of pounds for good causes including The Press's Guardian Angels appeal.

"The contestants would never get a chance to do this if it wasn't for The Deep End, which is why it's such a great laugh," said creator and anchorman Ian Donaghy, aka Big Ian, who also fronts show band Huge.

"The way they throw themselves into it is unbelievable and it's always hilarious, as you'd expect when you've got a bloke who sells Volvos for a living transforming himself into Elvis.

"The Deep End has raised more than £15,000 for charity over the years and it should be a fantastic mix of ultra-competitiveness and people just having a really good time."

This year will see North Yorkshire Fire Service and Marc Oliver Kitchens performing Take That's Relight My Fire, a loincloth-wearing Minster FM team's version of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, Eddie Ruddock of Energytek's rendition of The Proclaimers' 500 Miles, Phil Collins' Against All Odds courtesy of Riccall Carers and Alex Duckett of York estate agents Savills belting out Ain't That A Kick In The Head.

Other acts include Buy Well Kitchens and Interiors (Valerie), Next Generation gym (It Takes Two), Steph Barlow from Fenwicks (What's Up?), CJ Garlands (You Might Need Somebody and Mustang Sally), MMS (Son Of A Preacher Man), and Jo Pickard of Car Leasing UK (Black Velvet).

Scott Anscomb, director of York estate agency Your Move Anscombs, who will be performing Take That's Shine, said: "Having come second and third before, I'm trying for first place this time to win £3,000 for York Against Cancer.

"There's some good-natured rivalry among the York businesses, and although my colleagues often tell me I've a good face for radio, I hope seeing me as well as hearing me won't put people off"

The event is sponsored by Ray Chapman Volvo - whose Elvis-mad contestant Alan Priestley will sing Suspicious Minds - and The Press.