A COUPLE looking to boost their curry sauce business secured £50,000 investment from multi-millionaire ‘dragon’ Piers Linney, who hails from Rossendale.

Piers, who lived in Bacup from the age of nine until he left the town to study at Manchester University, offered the sum for a 30per cent stake in Vini and Bal Aujla’s sauce firm, in Sunday’s episode of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den.

Although veteran dragons Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden showed an interest in Vini and Bal Aujla’s sauce firm, in Gravesend, the funding was eventually secured from Piers, the newest dragon, and boss of Outsourcery, the cloud-based IT business.

The pair are the first British Asian couple to win an investment on the programme.

Since the episode was filmed, the couple have secured a deal with Sainsbury’s to supply 300 stores with their sauces standing in the fresh meat aisle, with three varieties from the range, Fiery Mirchi, Jeera and Shahi.

The couple hope to follow in the footsteps of other successful food companies to feature on the show, such as Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Sauce.

Mr Roots secured £50,000 from Mr Jones on the programme in February 2007, and is now a millionaire, with his spicy sauce available at stores such as Morrisons, Subway, and Domino’s Pizza.