EMMA PINDER and STACEY NOTTINGHAM - Young Entrepreneurs of the Year award: Winners Emma Pinder and Stacey Nottingham have designs on success - literally.

Emma, 25, and Stacey, 23, who run Bombshell Design, in the Queen's Court Business Centre, Middlesbrough, set up in business together having known each other at secondary school on Teesside.

They went their separate ways but both went on to complete the BA Hons graphic design course at the University of Teesside at different times.

By the time Stacey had graduated, Emma had returned home to Teesside, having been working in Surrey for a short spell, and they met at a party and decided to set up in business. The result was the formation, in January last year, of Bombshell Design, a graphic design business which produces work ranging from corporate identities to stationery and leaflets.

Emma said: "I had liked the idea of going into business and Stacey felt the same so we decided to give it a go and it has worked.

"Compared with this time last year we have probably doubled our business, we are really rushed off our feet and have some high-profile clients."

The key to their success has been their rapidly-developing reputation.

Emma said: "Most of our work comes through word of mouth. We do a job for someone and they tell someone else about us."

They are delighted with the award. Emma said: "It was strange. They announced the prize for Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and we thought that since it was just entrepreneur, perhaps we had missed out.

"They then said there were, in fact, two young entrepreneurs of the year and we just looked at each other and knew. We are over the moon about winning."