THE flags were flying at Durham Castle last night as Mandy Scott was named North-East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mandy, a single parent, established AA flags in 1992 with a little financial help from her father and Derwentside Industrial Development Agency.

Within two weeks, she employed her first member of staff to manufacture high quality flags, banners and bunting from the converted cellar of her home in Blackhill.

Typical clients for her products include golf and football clubs, hotels, Government offices and breweries.

The company has won many awards since starting, including the Cosmopolitan Women Achiever in 1994 and more recently it was runner- up in the County Durham Business Excellence Awards.

The runner-up in the overall category was Janet Maitland, of the Durham Training Academy.

In addition to the main award, awards were made in the categories of:

l Most Innovative Idea, sponsored by Sage - Zoe Clark, IT Training Provider, in Stockton-on Tees

l Young Woman Entrepreneur, sponsored by Business Link - Rachel Swain, of Walworth Castle Hotel.

l Supporter of Women's Business - Dorothy Childs of Business link Northumberland.

l Woman Social Entrepreneur - Rena Howe of Top-Bottom Furniture Group Ltd.

l Best Corporate Entrepreneur - Sue Hunter of PSI Global Ltd, in Bowburn, County Durham.

Now in their second year the aim of the awards, sponsored by Barclays Bank and the Barclays Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Durham Business School, is to recognise and reward the contribution being made to the North-East economy by women.

The awards are specifically targeted at small and medium sized businesses.

A spokeswoman for Barclays said: "In addition to recognising and rewarding the individual achievements of the women taking part in the competition, we hope the event will establish role models for other women contemplating starting a business.