A FORMER North Yorkshire farming giant has established a successful venture selling computer games and software over the web.

And now the budding e-commerce entrepreneur has clinched a deal with Paragon Publishing worth £2.5 million.

Ashley Clark, 29, opted out of the family farming business at Farnley Grange, Markington, near Harrogate, and used it as a base to start the LotsInStore.com (formerly Wizard Interactive) e-commerce games warehouse in April 1999.

Over the past 15 months the business has gone from strength to strength and now employs seven staff, four at the offices in the farm's converted barn and three at new premises in Windsor.

From there stored games and educational software are despatched by the company to customers all over the country. Steady growth in the business has seen the opening of offices in Windsor to help meet the demand for cut-price software.

Mr Clark, operations director for LotsInStore.com said: "There is a need to diversify in farming these days, but I took a greater step away from the industry than most.

"The business started as mail order and Internet-based, but has since become increasingly focused on the web, and we now sell educational software as well. The deal we have just signed with Paragon Publishing to act as their e-retailer will really give the business a boost."

The 12-month partnership gives Paragon a set fee for every game bought from the e-retailer and is worth an estimated £2.5 million to LotsInStore.com, he said.

Paragon Publishing is the UK's second largest gaming and computer media publisher. It includes Total Games Network, Nintendo Pro and Play Magazine.

From now on readers of the Total Games Network (www.totalgames.net) on-line magazine will be able to purchase through LotsInStore.com thousands of games, such as latest best-seller Perfect Dark, via a secure e-retail link.

PICTURE: E-BUYGAMES: Former farmer Ashley Clark who is now operations director for LotsInStore.com, with a mock-up of the firm's screen

Picture: Giles Rocholl