Whitby's traditional seafaring industry has had shockwaves sent rippling across it by nets of a different kind.

Fishnets Lingerie has opened in the town, offering a range of fashionable underwear.

Owner Olivia Wells has called upon 18 years of Oriental carpet broking experience to offer an additional attraction to customers.

Working from a London base, she would travel to people's homes to judge which Oriental rug would complement a buyer's existing furniture and decor.

Now she has channelled that eye for quality, and a hefty network of contacts, to source products that suit her new market.

Since opening the Skinner Street shop in October, Ms Wells and her daughter, Louise, noticed a gap in the market for women with small back and cup sizes.

Contacts in the carpet market sent lingerie samples from the Far East on approval. They sold out quickly, highlighting the demand for smaller sizes.

Ms Wells said the skills of her former career have been used to good effect.

She said: "When you are in the Oriental carpet business you have a love of textiles. This is the same. It is pattern, look and the way things feel.

"It is about being able to appreciate fine quality."