A mother has turned her hobby into a full-time occupation.

Dawn Fearon, 35, from Marske, is at the helm of Daybreak Therapies and practises aromatherapy, reflexology and Indian head massage in a tranquil therapy room.

The mother-of-two said: "People are turning to complementary therapy more and more as a way of dealing with the stresses and strains of modern living.

"I have got a variety of clients from all sorts of backgrounds and all sorts of ages, some with busy professional jobs, some not.

"But all of them are seeking to get the best out of life and to feel more relaxed and able to cope."

Ms Fearon is qualified in all the subjects she practises and became a convert to aromatherapy 12 years ago. She believes that alternative therapies are becoming increasingly popular.

When she decided to take the plunge back into work after a break to bring up her children, she found herself at the Middlesbrough office of InBiz, a business support organisation.

She said she received a lot of help to draw up her business plan and was given lots of confidence.

Terry Owens, chief executive of InBiz, said: "The great thing is that Dawn was very enthusiastic and totally committed."

Daybreak Therapies can be contacted on (01642) 502764.