A FORMER Whitefield man is among 21 of the North West's top entrepreneurs chasing a major business award.

Richard O'Sullivan is going forward to the north regional finals of this year's Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

The businessman set up his first restaurant at the age of 18 and has been in the catering trade ever since.

He joined the fledgling Millie's Cookies in 1987 and as managing director has helped make the company one of the UK's foremost fast food producers.

The company has nearly 100 stores across the UK, baked and sold 40 million cookies last year and Richard still finds time to deal with any complaints personally.

He is also a great advocate of the virtual office, running the company from a small base in the Bury area, but employing around 850 people across the country.

The winners of the north regional final will be announced at a banquet at Manchester's Palace Hotel on June 20 and then go forward to the national finals in London in the autumn .