A WOMAN who baked for therapy and relaxation when she was recovering from serious illness has turned the activity into a business.

Anastasia Weiner and her husband, David Turner, launched Westfields Farm Bakery from their home in Bellerby, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, four weeks ago.

Bread, cakes and puddings are baked in their kitchen, although they are about to apply to turn a barn at the nine-acre holding into a bakery.

They are also looking for a shop unit in Leyburn and plan to tour upper Wensleydale twice a week with a mobile shop.

Miss Weiner drew on her experience of living in Greece and Italy to develop recipes with a Mediterranean influence.

She uses organic ingredients that are bought from within a 60-mile radius of the village.

When a serious heart virus struck earlier this year, Ms Weiner revived her love of cooking and began baking, often in the early hours.

"Lying down was awful," she said. "If I moved around I felt better, so I just started baking and pottering around in the kitchen.

"It was very therapeutic - I just switched off."

Her illness made her reassess her hectic lifestyle.

"There wasn't a local bakery and I was convinced that there was demand for my products, so we looked into the hygiene and environmental health regulations and went for it," she said.

The range of products changes every few months and the couple only use fruit and vegetables that are in season. A Christmas selection is being planned.

They also use green packaging, are exploring ways to offset the carbon footprint of their delivery van and hope to install a wind turbine to power the bakery.

The couple, originally from the South, moved to Bellerby six years ago.

Ms Weiner, who is half French and half Czechoslovakian, was influenced by her chef father and her grandmother, who baked and cured hams.

"I was a chef for a family in Italy and I am happiest when I am pottering around in the kitchen," she said.