ACTORS took to the streets of South Tyneside yesterday to promote enterprise.

The street theatre, by local Lobster Productions, toured Hebburn, Jarrow and South Shields and drew interested looks from those curious as to why a washing machine, sofa and lamp stand had appeared in the street.

The scenes mirrored ads for South Tyneside Means Business and marked the launch of a campaign to promote a £16.2m initiative encouraging people to start businesses in the borough.

The props feature in ads of people searching for ideas.

Darren Palmer, who runs Lobster Productions with business partner Ken Reay, said: “Businesses come in all shapes and sizes and the ideas for them are found anywhere.

“It might be a sudden flash of inspiration, something you’ve been thinking about for ages or deciding to turn a hobby or passion into a job, which is what Ken and I have done with Lobster.”