THREE businesswomen from the region have been honoured at ceremonies in the North-East and Yorkshire.

Fiona Cruickshank was named North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 at a ceremony at The Assembly Rooms, in Newcastle.

The managing director of Northumberland drugs company The Specials Laboratory was presented with The Susan Dobson Award for Entrepreneurship at a sell-out event held by the Women Into The Network organisation.

An engineer with Europe's leading excavator manufacturer has been recognised as one of the best in the country.

Michelle Garthwaite, a 27-year-old design engineer with Komatsu UK, of Birtley, was presented with the prize for special merit at the final of the Young Woman Engineer of the Year awards 2003.

The award was sponsored by the Institution of Incorporated Engineers and the Caroline Haslett Memorial Trust, and supported by BT and the Ford Motor Company.

Victoria Brooks, a 25-year-old from Great Smeaton, in North Yorkshire, was named young businesswoman of the year in the Hull and Humberside Women in Business Awards.

Miss Brooks is the managing director of GB Solo Ltd, which manufactures firefighting helmets used by NASA and in Formula 1 motor racing.