Cathy Woodward did not like the idea of facing the dole queue and the prospects of unemployment so she took advantage of her trade skills and started her own business.

And now with the help of various grants and business advice she has opened Cathy's Fresh Cuts within the Netto Store in Ashington.

Cathy, of Green Lane in Ashington, said: "It's been quite scary out on my own, but it's also a great feeling knowing I am doing something I have always wanted to do.

"I've had a lot of help with various grants and practical business advice, but none of this would have been possible without the help of the BizFizz team."

BizFizz provides free confidential and professional advice to local entrepreneurs and provides a coach that provides one to one support to individuals who want to start to grow their own business idea.

Graeme Trotter works with Jan Grieveson in Wansbeck as a BizFizz coach and helped Cathy in her first steps to starting the business.

Graeme said: "Cathy was a joy to coach, she has a lot of passion for what she does and battled every obstacle in her way."

Anyone who has a business idea and is thinking of starting up a business can contact Graeme on 07815 955278.