Win a year's mentoring from Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden

Martin Hill Photography and Azana Photo Frames were two lucky winners to benefit from superb prizes and get their businesses off the ground.

Martin said: “Winning has helped build our business brand enormously over the past year.

“Having the fabulous opportunity to work with the marketing team at the County Gazette and enjoy amazing free advertising has really helped raise awareness of Martin Hill Photography.”

Karen Lang, of Azana Photo Frames, added: “My business has become even more successful since I’ve had mentoring from two high profile local business mentors.

“Also with free advertising space in the County Gazette I have gained additional exposure. I’m urging businesses to enter the LBA competition to get some mentoring for their business growth.”

Businesses have the chance to win part of a £15m national pot of cash.

More than 500 newspapers across the UK are joining forces to deliver a boost to promising young businesses through free advertising and mentoring.

Businesses aged between one and five years old can enter LBA for the chance to win a free ad campaign in the County Gazette plus mentoring support from local business leaders.

The most promising businesses will go forward to the national stage of the competition to win a year’s mentoring from Deborah Meaden and a local advertising campaign devised by a top London creative ad agency.

The Dragons' Den star said: “With last year’s LBA having demonstrated the unique power of local and regional press to provide a meaningful boost to promising young businesses, I am delighted to be supporting the initiative once again.”

Businesses aged between one and five years can enter the competition via the LBA hub – accelerateme.co.uk – before the closing date of November 16.

More than 500 daily and weekly local newspaper titles are registered to take part in LBA, which aims to highlight how local newspapers can provide a meaningful boost to young businesses.