A former microbiologist is searching for a cash injection to overcome her barrier to finance and launch an innovative new business supporting women that want to conceive.

Yvonne Ridge is looking to secure £52,000 to employ staff and set up a permanent base in Norwich to carry out tests that will provide visual proof that ovulation has occurred.

And as well as establishing her new firm VisOva, she is also in the early stages of creating her own scanning device for carrying out enhanced visual conception tests.

However, despite having been awarded £16,666 from the Norwich4NewEnterprise Scheme for the business, she has yet to get a loan deal rubber-stamped by a bank to get the enterprise off the ground.

It comes after Miss Ridge, who spent 15 years working as a scientist for Norwich Research Park and British Sugar Research Centre, surveyed more than 350 people throughout Norwich and said the results showed that couples would speak to an expert that could give a 'real-life image' of ovulation and provide health advice before they approached their doctor.

She said she was inspired to set up the firm after her own failed experience with pregnancy-testing kits, and said her doctor believed it could have a 'profound psychological affect' by taking away the anxiety surrounding conception.

'The initial idea stems from my previous experience,' said Mrs Ridge, who has an eight-year-old daughter.

'I discovered through a sonography scan that told me that if I had con-ceived at that point in time there would be a high possibility that I would have twins – because there was two ovas.

'Also, when I was trying to conceive, I couldn't get the kits to work, and it is this unknown of whether you have definitely conceived or not that can be stressful. I thought it would be good if you could have a test that provides you with a definite answer, because everyone I have spoken too said they have had a problem with conceiving in one way or another.

'Speaking to so many mothers and parents when I was carrying out my survey, the response was that this service should be on the NHS.

'Allowing women to see their ova can make them more relaxed about conceiving, which can be quite a stressful period for couples.

'The longer it takes the more anxious couples can become. They will be able to see through the scan that nothing untoward has happened. I have spoken to my doctor about the process and she said the psychological impact of the tests could be profound.'