STEVE Lydiatt has become the personification of enterprise on wheels.

His sandwich board trike pedalled around the streets of York helped to attract 700 people to last weekend's 2004 Enterprise Show, staged by Yorkshire Forward and Business Link York and North Yorkshire, in the city's Museum Gardens.

But this was not just another job for Steve's company PromoBikes Yorkshire Ltd. It was a heartfelt thank-you to the organisers, because last year's Enterprise Show turned his life around - full cycle.

A year ago, 29-year-old Steve, of the Undercroft, York, attended The Enterprise Show, to obtain help and advice about setting up in business - and as a result he launched PromoBikes Yorkshire Ltd in October.

Steve, who previously worked as a marketing manager in the retail sector, said: "I found last year's show absolutely inspirational and the help and advice that I received convinced me that setting up in business was the right thing to do."

As well as winning contracts from Business Link York and North Yorkshire, Steve's pedal-powered advertising business has quickly gained clients in the retail, leisure, sports and education sectors. "I set myself a target of 100 days' work in the first year and I've already surpassed that."

His mobile advert is credited with helping to make a huge success of this year's event, in which Calendar Girl Tricia Stewart spoke about her own experiences of setting up in business.

Helen West, chief executive of Business Link York and North Yorkshire, said: "Steve is just one example of the many people who have taken inspiration from the Enterprise Show and seen the dream of setting up in business become reality.

"With the assistance of our many partners, we have again been able to provide hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs with access to a vast array of help, advice and expertise at a single location."

Updated: 11:34 Wednesday, May 12, 2004