The board can be rolled up and put into a bag

Beachgoers throughout Cornwall will soon be able to hit the waves with a new inflatable body board which is already proving a big hit with surfers in the US and down under.

The Surfster, which was invented in Australia, is a full-size inflatable body board which rides the waves like a conventional board but with the added advantage that it can be rolled up and put in a bag.

And now, with the help of money from Europe, a pair of Cornish businessmen are to start distributing the board in the UK.

Finance Cornwall has helped put together a �125,000 investment package for Surfster Europe, a new Cornwall-based company run by Jason Bone and Jeremy Price.

"The Surfster is a brand new product and sales have skyrocketed in the US and Australia," said Mr Bone.

"We now own the European distribution licence and have started to market the Surfster through trade shows in this country and Europe."

They also hope to sell the board through large retailers like Toy R Us.