16 November 2010 Last updated at 11:57 ET

Rotherham crowned most enterprising place in Britain

The judges visited schools to see the entrepreneur mentor system in place

A South Yorkshire town with a history of high unemployment has been crowned the most enterprising place in Britain.

Rotherham was awarded the national title at the Enterprising Britain ceremony on Monday.

In 2005, the Rotherham Ready project was started to promote enterprise and encourage youngsters into education and business.

It has been credited with helping 232 new businesses to be created by youngsters in the last five years.

The nationwide competition, run by Enterprise UK through the regional development agencies, rewards places that have have created jobs, boosted business and nurtured entrepreneurial talent.

Catherine Brentnall, project officer for Rotherham Ready, said: "It's a really important win for Rotherham.

"We've shown that a town can create a sustainable culture of enterprise and really inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs who will shape the future of the local economy and future of the UK."

The town has a history of high unemployment after the decline of the steel industry in the 1980s.