A RADIO station manager has been named Woman of Achievement in the inaugural North-East Women in Business Awards.

Sally Aitchison, managing director of Swalwell-based Metro Radio, received the award at Hardwick Hall Hotel in Sedgefield, County Durham, last night.

Mrs Aitchison moved to Metro in January last year from sister station, TFM, at a time when Metro was losing listeners. In just over a year, she has reorganised the management team, introduced new presenters and boosted audience figures.

Kim Miljus, the station's commercial director, who nominated her for the award, said: "She was a woman on a mission and she knew just what she wanted to achieve and how she was going to do it. Her energy, drive and passion were infectious and ensured that she led the station along this path of huge change.

"And on top of this, Sally is a working mum, balancing career and home life. She is totally devoted to her family and puts just as much vigour and time into her home life as her work life."

As well as being named overall winner, Mrs Aitchison took the title Manager of the Year - one of eight awards handed out on the night.

The training and development award went to Yvonne Cook, of the Priory Nursery Home, of Middlesbrough, and the against adversity award was won by aromatherapist Dorothy Cormack, of Darlington.

The creative product/service award was won by Mary Boulton, of William House Nursery, Darlington, while Lisa Sinclair, of RJ Consulting, was named young entrepreneur. The best community-based business was Skerne Park Childcare Centre, also Darlington.

The juggler of the year was sports masseur Sharon Gaytor, of Middlesbrough, while networker of the year was won by Diane West, of Darlington YMCA Millennium Volunteers.

The Women in Business Awards were sponsored by Enterprise Event Management, of Darlington.

Organiser Hilary Dunne said: "We had an absolutely fantastic response with more than 50 nominations from across the region.

"There are no other awards like this, so they have attracted massive interest and it is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the achievements of the many successful businesswomen we have in the region."

More than 260 people attended the ceremony and dinner, where the guest speaker was Paralympic gold medallist Tanni Grey-Thompson.

* For full details of the awards ceremony, see Tuesday's business pages.