A COUPLE have shown they have the courage to take on the feared Dragons' of the business world.

Mark and Wendy Litherland, of Great Harwood, the brains behind Coaching Ball Ltd, which markets a football with illustrations printed on to help children learn to kick properly, appeared on the BBC 2's Dragon's Den last night.

The business world "dragons" were full of praise for the invention, and despite not securing investment for the ball, sold two privately to a cameraman on the show, and one to a mystery buyer they suspect to be one of the dragons themselves!

And the couple have another reason to celebrate after signing a contract with Tesco, which will see their ball appear in the supermarket giant's Sports for Schools catalogue - stores will hand out vouchers which can then be used to order items from the catalogue.

The Litherlands actually filmed the show in July, after being spotted by the BBC at the North West Inventors Expo, held in Blackburn in March.

Mark, 35, a setter technician at Baxi Potterton, said: "We had reservations as the Dragons can be quite cutting, but we really needed to get to the top buyers, as when children see the Coaching Ball in action, they want it!

"Being a small firm big chains are reluctant to talk to us. The Dragons could open these doors."

The BBC show features a panel of entrepreneurs, Richard Farleigh, Deborah Meaden, Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis. These Dragons' hear ideas from hopeful businesspeople, and if they like the sound of the schemes, invest their own funds.

But while Coaching Ball didn't secure investment, Mark and Wendy were praised, in particular by Peter Jones, a 40-year-old millionaire with business interests in communications and publishing.

Wendy, 29, a teacher at Unity College, Burnley, said: "We were quizzed for nearly an hour about the business and the principals which actually prove the Coaching Ball works."

For more information see the website at www.coachingball.co.uk