A glass designer has set up on her own with help from a business centre.

Joanne Mitchell, from Tudhoe, near Spennymoor, received guidance to shape her business on the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) corporate ventures programme.

Ms Mitchell, who works from the National Glass Centre, Sunderland, was commissioned to design the trophies for the Creative North East Awards.

The artist, who is 25, spent a year of her Master of Arts course learning the craft with Edinburgh Crystal.

She also spent a year working as an in-house designer before being offered a permanent post.

However, Ms Mitchell was determined to return to her native North-East to create and sell her own brand of contemporary glassware.

She attended the ten-week corporate ventures course, at the Sunderland Enterprise Park, off Wessington Way, which helped teach her the business basics of invoicing, contracts and preparing a business plan.

With the help of her business plan she managed to attract a £1,00 grant from Northern Arts and secure a loan of £2,300 from the Prince's Trust.

Ms Mitchell has had her work featured in House and Garden magazine. She is also exhibiting at Gateshead Quay Visitor Centre and has been hand-picked to exhibit at the Shipley Art Gallery's Christmas exhibition.

She said: "The corporate ventures programme was practical and literally got me on to a sound footing.

"It is for anyone of any age with any venture they want to make into a good business."

For more information about the corporate ventures programme, telephone Audrey Watt at the BIC on 0191-516 6145.