Two winners of The Apprentice for the first time in the show's history

Lord Alan Sugar has hired both candidates in the Apprentice final, for the first time in the show's history.

James White, who runs an IT recruitment firm, and Sarah Lynn, who owns a confectionery company, were both given £250,000 by Lord Sugar, taking his total investment this series to half a million pounds.

They were both crowned winners after the final episode of series 13 saw them present their business plans to more than 200 experts at London's City Hall.

Lord Sugar said of the "historic moment": "I couldn't make a decision, it had to be both of them.

"They were two genuinely great experts in their field and I'm looking forward to going into business with them."

White and Lynn were certainly happy with the decision - for themselves and their opponent.

Lynn, 35, told the Press Association: "You can't not form bonds during that process, it's so intense.

"I think and I hope that what we showed him [Lord Sugar] throughout is that we have a huge amount of respect for each other, as well as each other's business plans, we supported each other despite being competition and were just both willing each other on."

White, 26, added: "I'm so happy for Sarah as well because it would have been such a shame.

"We're both just worthy winners and for one to get it and the other not to get it would have been really sad."

He said that it never entered his mind that both of them could win the investment, adding: "You just assume that there has to be one winner."

In the final episode, the pair welcomed back the contestants Lord Sugar had previously fired, to help them create a video advert and billboard for their companies.

They then had to give a pitch to a group of industry experts, who shared their thoughts on the business plans with Lord Sugar.

White said: "It was daunting knowing I had to walk out in front of the largest group of people I've ever spoken to.

"Before I walked out I was bricking it and I remember thinking to myself 'what is recruitment?' and then as soon as I actually started walking down the staircase it all just left and I was clear-minded."

Lynn, who has a three-and-a-half-year-old son, said making him proud was the "driving factor" for her during the gruelling process.

She said: "I just really wanted when he grows up for him to look at his Mummy and be proud.

"So that was in my mind all the time, that not only was I doing it for myself, I'm doing it for his future, and I just didn't ever want him to get older and watch the footage and think 'oh God, what is she doing'."

But viewers were less than impressed with many calling it a "cop out".

"WHAT THAT'S RIDICULOUS. What a waste of time!!!!!! Fuming," said one disgruntled viewer on Twitter.

One person tweeted: "IS THIS A JOKE?! Don't call them finalists if you just give it to them both. Im actually livid I just wasted an hour of my life on that episode."

Another annoyed fan called it "a waste of 10 weeks", and one moaned: "What a cop out. It's meant to be a contest, with a winner, nobody wants a flippin' draw. Historic? Do us a favour."