SOMERSET born ‘dragon’ Deborah Meaden is backing the county as a prime location to do business.

The star of the BBC Dragons’ Den TV programme, who lives in the Langport area, has thrown her weight behind ‘Into Somerset’ a new campaign to attract business investment in the county.

Deborah says Somerset offers several advantages for businesses, including excellent transport links, communications, a skilled workforce, entrepreneurial spirit – and a wonderful lifestyle.

She said: “I feel very lucky to live and work in Somerset. It is a lovely county. Somerset has just about everything.

“I could choose to live and work anywhere, but I have chosen Somerset because it gives me the kind of rural life that I want, but with direct and easy access to London and overseas.

“Businesses need good people and Somerset is attracting a lot of very good people who want to enjoy its quality of life.”

“I can get on the train in Taunton and I am in Paddington in under an hour and 40 minutes. If I lived on the outskirts of London, I would not be able to get in that quickly.”

She has filmed a new webcast for Into Somerset – click on the Related Link, right, to watch it.

Into Somerset is targeting businesses in five key sectors which are already strong in the county – advanced engineering and aerospace; business services; creative; food and drink; plus energy and environmental technologies.