A BUSINESSWOMAN who started her career as a hotel receptionist 20 years ago has returned to her roots -- to buy a hotel.

Jan Hampton has bought the Egerton House Hotel, in Blackburn Road, Egerton, for £1.7million.

The 41-year-old snapped up the three-star hotel with the help of a private backer.

Miss Hampton, who now lives in Ramsbottom, said Egerton House is unlikely to be the end of her empire-building.

Once she has the hotel on its feet, she plans to buy out her backer and purchase other hotels in the area.

And that could be good news for local businesses, since Miss Hampton firmly believes in supporting local firms.

She has hired an accountant who lives in Egerton, spends her spare time at Esporta gym and chooses to shop locally rather than Manchester.

Miss Hampton started work as a receptionist at a hotel in Scotland and worked her way up at different hotel groups to the front-of-house manager.

She moved to the sales and marketing side of the business, working at the Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester and the Royal York in York.

After being made redundant as personal development director at the Palace Hotel, Manchester, and UK sales director for Ramada Jarvis, Miss Hampton decided to go it alone and bought Egerton House.

She added: "I want to bring that touch of luxury to Egerton House."