A teenager who struggled to find work has combined her love of animals with an entrepreneurial spirit to launch her own business.

Zoe Stone from Bradwell is now the proud proprietor of The Do-G-Room a pooch pampering business offering treatments to beloved pets, which has already proved a hit with canine owners in the three weeks it has been open.

The enterprising 19-year-old funded the entire start-up herself with a small nest-egg she inherited, paying her way through an intensive training course and buying all the equipment she needed to turn her parents' garage into a welcoming pooch parlour.

She has been open since the beginning of February and already has a steady stream of four-legged regulars on her books.

Her mum Michelle, 45, said: 'She's doing everything to make a success and a go of it and we're behind her 100pc. I think it's admirable that she's taken it by the horns.

'I'm obviously dead proud of her because I'm her mum but just looking in from an outside point of view I just think, good for her.'

Zoe, a former Lynn Grove High School pupil, decided to launch her business after months of looking for work and getting nowhere.

The teen had always been keen to work with animals and sent her CV to vets in the area. But with no suitable vacancies she then turned her attention to jobs in other sectors, such as supermarkets, but still had no luck.

Zoe said: 'I sent out loads and loads of CVs out and heard nothing and I just had enough.'

Deciding to 'invest in herself' she enrolled on an intensive four week course with Dapper Dogs Grooming Centre in Norwich and then set up shop in her parents' garage.

The teen admitted she never envisaged to have her own business at such a young age but the experience was 'rewarding'.

'It's something to be proud of,' she added. 'Things are going pretty well. I'm part of a dog club so they keep me busy, they're recommending me to people so the work is slowly coming in.

'Most of my friends are from the dog club so they just think it's brilliant because they have got somewhere to bring their dogs.'

And Zoe has already set her sights high as she is keen to grow the business with the aim of taking on a shop and moving out of the garage.

For more details about her business search for 'The Do-G-Room' on Facebook.