The government has launched a Dragons' Den-style competition to encourage British entrepreneurs to create gadgets to help disabled people.

The £400,000 competition is designed to entice inventors into creating apps and gadgets to hep the disabled lead more independent lives - and tap into the lucrative "purple pound" market.

Budding entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas, and 25 will receive a £6,000 contract to take forward their concept.

That will be whittled down to ten finalists, who will each be awarded another £10,000 to develop their ideas into a prototype.

The winning inventor of the government's Accessible Technology Prize will be announced in 2016 and will scoop a £50,000 contract to take their idea to market.

The competition aims to inspire technological innovation to assist disabled people in fields as diverse as education, the home, leisure, transport and work.