AT 20 years old, York whizzkid Ashley Mason tends to have far more varied, even exciting weekends than most young people.

Ashley, of Albemarle Road, South Bank, owns YorMed, a first aid, ambulance and medical practice in demand at events all over York and North Yorkshire.

It all began after he spent a year as a volunteer first aider with the Red Cross.

Slowly, he began to help out at other events where he was paid for his first aid services. But it meant while he was studying at York College he had to register as self-employed – and so YorMed was born.

In three years, YorMed has gone from a lone teenager equipped with a first aid kit to a young man owning a fully-equipped emergency ambulance, one ambulance car, an array of medical equipment and ten part-time staff.

No surprises, then, if Ashley impresses the judges as a candidate for the Young Entrepreneur Of The Year. YorMed is also being pitched as the Small Business Of The Year.

In its first year YorMed provided 25 days cover at the National Railway Museum’s Thomas the Tank and 1968 And All That events. Demand grew and investment accelerated in staff training and equipment, even buying a new defibrillator.

Last year, Ashley’s Yormed was hired by Ryedale District Council to provide medical cover for 250 civic dignitaries attending Yorkshire Day celebrations.

Then, with the help of a £20,000 NatWest loan he bought an ambulance and equipment and used some of the money to send staff on ambulance technician training in Wales, allowing him to charge a higher premium – and to offer patient transport to hospitals.

Having trained as a trainer, he is now able to offer a range of courses, including Health And Safety Executive first aid at work.