Tycoon's call after TV show

A tycoon from Shropshire who is set to star in TV reality show, The Secret Millionaire, today called on the Government to expand a new initiative aimed at boosting the ambitions of black children.

Mo Chaudry, 47, believes the plan to use positive role models to inspire black youngsters in schools and colleges should be harnessed to tackle problems facing youngsters of all races.

The father-of-three, who grew up in Telford and went to Wellington Grammar School, is already planning to set up such a scheme in Staffordshire.

He was shocked by what he found during 10 days of filming the Channel 4 documentary in a deprived suburb of Leeds.

His idea would use top sportsmen, businessmen and celebrities to persuade children to seek alternatives to crime and extremism.

Mr Chaudry, who runs a property empire as well as Stoke-on-Trent's Waterworld aqua park, posed as a lowly gym worker before donating thousands of pounds to community projects in Leeds.

"What I discovered stunned me," he said. "There is a serious sense of alienation, for example, among young Asian people who simply do not feel part of mainstream society.

"It's little wonder extremism can survive in this type of negative environment. Successful people can show these kids that there is another way.

"This applies equally to children from all races and backgrounds - children in general are feeling the same sense of being outsiders."

The government's initiative stems from an independent report which claimed black youngsters had low aspirations.

Mr Chaudry is no stranger to poverty and deprivation, having arrived in Britain from a poor village in Pakistan at the age of eight to face bullying and racism.

He went on to win silver in Olympic weightlifting at the 1982 British Student Championships, gained a karate black belt by 18, became an amateur boxer and Shropshire county cricketer - and created an empire worth £60 million.

He will appear on Secret Millionaire on Channel 4 tonight at 9pm.

By Peter Johnson