Elizabeth Exton became frustrated after spending almost a year in bed recuperating, so she splashed out on a loss-making grated cheese business.

She turned the firm around, renamed it Exton's Foods, moved from grated to sliced cheese, won a major contract and moved the firm from Stockport to larger premises in Manchester.

But after four years, the firm lost that lucrative contract. She was forced to make more than half the staff redundant as the business lost around £12,000 a month.

Elizabeth told the Manchester Evening News:

"We just got on the phone really and we've managed a massive turnaround.

"My sister, Rachael, came to join me after finishing university in Sheffield and we decided it was sink or swim. Now we're making £12,000 a month. I didn't realise how big this industry was going to go."