Venture capital investment in the Yorkshire region has broken all records.

The amount that people are prepared to invest in firms that appear to be going places in the region rocketed by 62 per cent.

As much as £249 million was sunk into 82 Yorkshire companies in 1997 compared with £154 million in 78 companies in 1996.

According to the British Venture Capital Association's annual report, investment in new, often hi- tech, companies in the North doubled - with £29 million invested in 51 "early stage" companies compared with £14 million in 40 such companies in 1996. More expanding companies in the whole of the North were backed than any other region.

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