Around 12% of working people have started a business, about 6% are in the process of doing so, and a further 33% are seriously considering starting their own enterprises, research by Vodafone UK reckons.

Brighton, Belfast, Bristol, Southampton, Plymouth and London were the UK's top hotspots for entrepreneurs. Scotland, Newcastle and Liverpool had the fewest start ups.

The telecoms giant carried out the study as part of its Working Nations Series, The Scotsman reported.