East Lancashire football clubs are teaming up with a £23.4million initiative to help budding businessmen.

The money will be released over the next three years by the Government-funded Local Enterprise Growth Initiative under the banner of No Limits.

The aim of the scheme is to slash unemployment and boost morale in deprived areas of Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley and Pendle.

And the figure could increase to £60million over the next decade as more funding is awarded.

East Lancs is one of 10 areas in the country to have secured LEGI cash and No Limits organisers claim the partnership between Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Accrington Stanley and other agencies was pivotal to success.

The flagship scheme, Enterprise Havens, provides premises for new and small businesses and the first of these - the Blackburn Enterprise Centre - will open at Furthergate Business Park, later this month.

Two more havens will be created at Ewood Park and Turf Moor and there will be another two based in Pendle and Accrington.

The idea is to give people centres where they can get advice as their businesses gets up and running.

Organisers hope it will create 13,000 jobs and 3,937 businesses across an area they are calling Pennine Lancashire.

No Limits will provide help and funding for suitable business premises and a range of support and advice will be offered to existing and new companies.

Steve Hoyle, No Limits director of Pennine Lancashire, said: "When you look at the range of help available, there's never been a better time to start or grow a business "From those still at school looking for business opportunities to the long-term unemployed, we have designed schemes to encourage enterprise at all levels."

Ian Smith, president of Hyndburn Chamber of Trade, said: "Anything that gets business up and running is a good thing for the individual and for the town."

David Cottam, of Blackburn Chamber of Trade, added: "The town centre especially needs this boost because we want people back.

"It has to be done in a proper manner with experts advising the people coming in. If that happens this a great step."

The football clubs were chosen because No Limit chiefs saw them as a focal point for the community.

Rovers manager Mark Hughes said: "We look forward to deploying our resources and using our standing in the community to help people of all ages to become more enterprising."

And Burnley manager Steve Cotterill said: "This is a unique opportunity for the people of Pennine Lancashire to become more enterprising and Burnley FC is thrilled to be involved."