A TWITTER initiative by retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis has given a beach hut business big online exposure.

Vicky Gunn, owner of Millie’s Beach Huts, in Walton, received a retweet from the former Dragon's Den star, to 500,000 followers.

The weekly initiative was set up by Mr Paphitis in 2010 to support small UK businesses.

Miss Gunn tweeted the business during Small Business Sunday and was one of six weekly winners to gain a retweet, but also a profile on website theopaphitissbs.com.

As a result her twitter following has shot up by 40 per cent and more than a hundred tweets went her way in the winning week.

She said: "We're just starting our third year of trading and were opening four new beach huts that week.

"I’d sent Theo a tweet of one of our new huts which was still being renovated to give him a peek into our world. The irony is now he’s retweeted an incomplete beach hut to everyone.

"Many people are still unaware you can hire a beach hut or that we exist exist so the fact Theo has recognised us and our hard work is amazing.”

For your chance with Theo Paphitis, tweet him on Sundays between 5pm and 7.30pm with the hashtag #SBS.