A scientist businesswoman has been nominated for an award after successfully juggling her parenting commitments with starting a business.

Mandy Hartley has been shortlisted for the Natwest-run Mumandworking awards 2018 for her New Buckenham-based company The Little Story Telling Company in the self-employed business parent of the year category.

The firm aims to inspire children with a love of literacy and science through workshops which tell stories about DNA and genetics.

She published her first book, The DNA Detectives - To Catch a Thief, last year with the follow-up scheduled for release later this year.

Dr Hartley said: 'I am so excited about being in the final. I never thought I could run my own business. It just goes to show you if you put your mind to something it is incredible what you can achieve. I get to inspire children every day with a love of science and literacy. What could be better than that.'