A SECRET Millionaire hopes to inspire entrepreneurs in a part of the region hard hit by redundancies during the recession.

John Elliott from Bishop Auckland, who founded water cooler company Ebac and appeared on the Channel 4 Secret Millionaire series, will open a day dedicated to enterprise in County Durham later this month.

The self-made businessman appeared undercover in the first series of the TV show, when he lived on the equivalent of state benefits in one of the poorest areas of Liverpool before giving away £50,000 of his own money to the community.

He has been recruited to speak at the South Durham Enterprise Fair, which is bringing together support and advice about starting up in business for unemployed people or those under threat of redundancy.

The first event of its kind in the region, the day has been organised by County Durham Economic Partnership and Jobcentre Plus, backed by local enterprise growth initiative Be Enterprising and County Durham’s Enterprise Agencies. It is being held in Newton Aycliffe.

Jon Clapham of Jobcentre Plus said: “South Durham is the hardest hit area of the region in terms of redundancies, due to several manufacturing firms cutting jobs during the economic downturn.