WEST Berkshire MP David Rendel toured The University of Reading on Tuesday, calling in at a prize-winning weather company and commercially exploitable research projects.

The MP visited Weather Informatics, based at the university's science and technology centre, which scooped first prize in a business competition run by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

The company was set up by Professor Alan O'Neill and colleagues from the Centre for Global Atmospheric Modelling and provides customer-specific weather forecasts and expert consultancy.

Mr Rendel also heard presentations from other staff members involved in research and entrepreneurship ventures on campus.

They included Professor Graham Megson, founder of video technology research company Salgen Systems.

Salgen has a wide range of applications including cutting-edge video graphics and digital interactive TV.

He also met Dr Jon Gibbins, whose work on blood platelet function is aimed at the development of drugs to prevent thrombosis.