A Halstead businesswoman is celebrating after being nominated for a national business award.

Melanie Knight, 46, has been nominated in the Business Services category at the 2018 The Best Business Women Awards.

Designed to recognise the achievement of women across a range of sectors, Mrs Knight has been chosen for her work as the owner of HR firm Blue Tree HR Solutions.

She said: "To be honest I was really shocked to hear I have been nominated.

"One of the things I have found since I started my business is that there are lots of amazing entrepreneurial women out there, but I did not think I would make it into the finals of a competition like this.

"I was very excited and I am looking forward to the ceremony."

Mrs Knight set out on her own in 2016 after leaving her previous role as a HR and health and safety manager at a firm in Braintree.

She said: "I will not lie, the first year was really difficult and I have always worked in a corporate world so it was very different.

"But I have also really enjoyed it. I have met so many inspiring people and learned so much about running a business."

Blue Tree HR Solutions, which is based in Bullfinch Drive, Halstead, provides HR support to small and medium sized businesses across Essex and Suffolk.

The firm supports business owners in managing their employees and ensures employment law is adhered to across all departments.

And Mrs Knight has some big plans for the future of the firm.

"I am hoping to continue growing and take on an apprentice soon," she said.

"Hopefully soon I won't be a one woman band, but will have a team to work with."

The gala final of The Best Business Women Awards will be held on Thursday, October 11, at Tewin Bury Farm, Welwyn, Hertfordshire.