A Londoner entrepreneur has been offered £150,000 to develop his idea of selling £2 umbrellas from vending machines across the capital.

Charles Ejogo, the 28-year-old managing director of The Technography Group, was finding it hard to raise the capital for the new venture called "Umbrolly".

He has been given a vital cash injection by BBC producers making a new programme about entrepreneurs and inventors.

The show is the entrepreneurial version of Pop Idol, as wannabees face the scorn of well-seasoned tycoons, such as "Yo! Sushi" restauranteur Simon Woodroffe.

The Beeb offered Ejogo the money when he persuaded them that his company could offers the umbrellas for £2, when the usual market price was £8-£15.

Ejogo had the idea when he was brolly-less and ended up walking the mile home to his Earl's Court address. After being made redundant he decided to set up the venture and become a full-time entrepreneur.

Shopping malls, gyms and colleges throughout the capital have already started stocking the machines, and he is in talks with the London Underground. Ejogo's product already sells between 50 and 60 umbrellas a day.

Ejogo has won other awards in the past including Business Innovator of the Year at The Black Enterprise Awards in 2004.