AN EAST Lancashire commercial photographer has earned praise from Dragons’ Den judge Theo Paphitis after scooping a coveted small business award.

Jak Spedding’s Blackburn-based interiors and architecture photography firm was chosen to be featured in Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday campaign.

Known on Twitter by the #SBS hashtag, the campaign sees small businesses pitch their commercial offering to Mr Paphitis in a single Tweet every Sunday evening.

The TV dragon then selects just six winners out of thousands of entries each week, who receive a retweet from Theo Paphitis to his 500,000 followers, a featured profile on the Small Business Sunday website, as well as an invitation to special events and activities.

Mr Spedding, whose Jak Spedding Photography business operates across the UK, got the opportunity to rub shoulders with Mr Paphitis at a winners' event at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre.

Mr Spedding, who grew up in Clitheroe and now lives in Great Harwood, said: “Social media is an integral part of any business’s marketing strategy and so I was pleased to be recognised by the Small Business Sunday campaign and have the chance to meet Theo Paphitis, as well as fellow small business owners.

“Since setting up my business three years ago I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the likes of Mercedes Benz, Man United, The Ivy and the Four Seasons, so I’m excited to see what the future holds.”