Is it a bed or a desk? No it's a besk, a new invention from father-and-son team Bob and Antony Dixon.

The idea was born when Antony needed a study for his finance business, but did not want to lose his spare room.

He needed a desk that converted into a bed, but he discovered that nobody made one.

For several months he and his father, a management trainer, spent their weekends in the garage making prototypes.

Now they have won a Government Micro Smart grant to help fund the research, development and prototyping.

The cash was used to commission furniture designer David Lee to help them work out how to manufacture it.

Bob Dixon said: "As a new start company with limited capital, every penny counts. Besk is grateful to the DTI for its help. Manufacturing a new product is not easy you go down a number of dead ends during the development."

The pair plan to sell the Besk direct from their showroom at Lawn Farm, Grendon Underwood, near Bicester, via their website at www.besk.co.uk and by mail order.