FEELING the cold has brought a local woman the warm glow of success.

Susie Johnson, 36, has always felt the cold and stuck to wearing a vest while growing up on her parents' farm at Fadmoor, Kirbymoorside.

It did not stop there and even when, as an adult, she went on to teach in Italy, during one cold spell in Umbria she hunted for a vest and found one on a local market. She found it much more fashionable and feminine than the "home grown" variety and wore it day in, day out when she returned home to help on the farm.

Later, she had the idea of setting up a business selling the more glamorous underwear she had found. "It was made of natural fibres and very comfortable to wear," she said.

With the help of a £2,500 grant from the Prince's Trust, plus all her savings, she bought a stock of three different designs and set up the company Bella di Notte ("beautiful by night").

That was six years ago and now, with an annual turnover of £1m, she has transferred the business she ran from a bedroom at her home near Helmsley, into purpose-built premises in Helmsley with 14 staff.

"And we are still recruiting staff as we just can't meet demand," said Miss Johnson, who has kept her maiden name for business out of respect for her father's guidance, to which she attributes her entrepreneurial spirit.

When she first launched the business from the farmhouse, her main buyers were the farming and horsey community.

"I started selling at coffee mornings and then many people wanted to buy by post as they lived in isolated areas, which was how the catalogue was launched.

"Then somebody asked about long johns so I started designing them myself. In the early days I would often give them to people to try out during hunting to get some feedback.

"Now I have even started to move into outerwear."

Orders came in so thick and fast that Miss Johnson called on the help of her father, Peter's, book-keeper and her mother and two sisters.

The business grew out of the farmhouse and into the home she bought at Harome, where she met and married Chris Morley.

"Throughout our courtship he would help me load knickers into the car so I could drive across country, selling them as far afield as Cheltenham races. I should imagine he had to put up with the odd snigger about going out with the knicker lady."

Her connections with farming continue, as Mr Morley is a director of a Yorkshire farm machinery company, Russells.

The couple are now expecting their first baby.

Within the last month, the company has moved out of Susie and Chris's home into the new premises at Helmsley.

The company was due to hit its first £1m worth of sales at the end of last year.

The product still comes from Italy and Mr Morley is always keen to accompany his wife on visits to the factories near Milan which make the products.

Recalling some of the funny moments along the way, Miss Johnson said: "One lady at Cheltenham races came up to me and asked if we did a thermal G-string. We also have a male customer who gets us to write his wife's birthday and their anniversary on our calendar to make sure he gets a catalogue in time.

"I've recently recruited a panel of male testers to give us an opinion on the designs, which has resulted in comments which have kept us laughing."

She added: "They say all you need to succeed in business is to come up with a good idea. I did - a warm, but sexy, vest.

"Thank goodness I always felt the cold and originally relied on the old-fashioned vest to keep me warm. I might never have gone into this business otherwise."

The company's web site is www.belladinotte.com. To order a catalogue call 0870 7706830.