BOLTON businessman Yogesh Raja has taken on his first employee after a seven-year struggle to get his invention on the market.

He has spent £130,000 to get his Personalised Security Stamp system, which uses stickers carrying a photograph, into production.

The stickers could prevent mix-ups with medicines in hospitals and nursing homes and combat fraud when signed and used on documents.

"I will never invent anything again," joked Mr Raja, who runs Visual Security International Ltd in Fletcher Street.

Now Mr Raja has employed his first recruit, 21-year-old Ian Crompton from Daubhill, after a work trial.

Ian holds a National Diploma in art and design, but hadn't been able to find work since last summer.

Having worked as a commercial printer in the past, he was pleased to find work at Mr Raja's company.

He is also working towards an NVQ level 2 in customer service.

"I'm really enjoying it," said Ian. "It all worked out fine for me. I'm learning all the time."

Work trials are voluntary schemes, where the employee works for up to 15 working days, keeping his or her benefits.

After the trial period, the employer and employee can both decide whether employment should be made permanent.

Mr Raja said: "I was looking for somebody who was willing to adapt to new systems and ideas - a keen person.

"During the work trial, I could properly gauge how Ian was. I'm training him so that he will be the manager."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.