The lights went out on the Yorkshire Asian Business Convention last night - bringing a premature end to the annual celebration of some of the region's biggest success stories.

A power cut at Elland Road, Leeds, the venue for the sixth annual awards ceremony, caused the proceedings to be abandoned halfway through guest speaker Ronnie Corbett's address.

But there was still chance for the 500-strong audience to applaud most of the award-winners at the event, organised by Asian Trades Link.

Bradford-based Global Office Solutions, an international distributor of computer consumables, won the international award from UK Trade and Investment. The company was launched in the UK by Sheraz Rasib in 1999, and has now grown into a £24 million turnover business with international offices in Dubai and Moscow. The firm moved to new premises at Enterprise Court, off Tong Street, Bradford, earlier this year.

The other Bradford winner was Mohammed Anwar Qadir, a distinguished youth worker for more than 20 years in the city. He won praise from the judges for his mentoring of scores of inner-city youngsters and helping many of them through to university. He said: "I have only done what I have in my life because I care."

The business of the year was Leeds-based PC Ideas and Vinay Sharma, a gynaecologist also based in Leeds, was named the professional of the year.

Speakers included Freeserve founder Ajaz Ahmed, Adeeba Malik and Iqbal Ahmed, a Bangladesh-born businessman who formed frozen fish importing business Seafresh.

Arshad Javed, of ATL, said stories such as that of Iqbal Ahmed would inspire younger members of the event's audience.

"We still have a lot of underachievement in various aspects of life, so if these businesspeople can lead the way and stand up as role models, that can only be good for the community."

Zulfi Hussain, chairman of the Asian Business Development Network, said: "It is important that we recognise and celebrate the contribution of Asian business, particularly as a lot of these people are unsung heroes and put in long hours, often with little recognition."