Budding journalists who want funding help so they can attend training courses have until Friday to apply for a bursary.

The Journalism Diversity Fund was set up by the National Council for the Training of Journalists in 2005 to bring more diversity to newsrooms and has helped kick-start the careers of almost 100 people.

Now the latest deadline for the next round of bursaries is fast approaching, so anyone interested is being urged to apply now.

Would-be journalists must have applied to attend an NCTJ-accredited course starting in the 2010-11 academic year, come from a socially or ethically diverse background and must not have the financial means to support themselves on a course.

They must also be able to demonstrate a genuine commitment and potential to be a successful journalist.

For information on how to apply, visit journalismdiversityfund.co.uk.