ILLNESS was the spur that led Karen Helsby to launch her own business selling bespoke food hampers over the internet.

After being diagnosed with Coeliacs disease -- a severe digestive complaint -- Karen was forced to take a year off work from her high-flying job in advertising.

Her illness was caused by an adverse reaction to gluten, a substance found in most cereals and widely used in processed foods.

Karen experienced great difficulty in finding suitable, high-quality, good tasting food and drink products on the high street.

"It was nigh on impossible and it soon became apparent to me that the answer lay through shopping at small independent retailers," said Karen.

"It was also obvious that many other people felt the same way. Through visiting a host of small suppliers, I discovered a world of choice, quality and service and realised there was a genuine market opportunity."

By adopting an organic, gluten-free diet, Karen, a former group business development manager, recovered her health. After extensive research, she has now launched her own internet-based business -- hamperstop.com.

"We offer brands from around the world, including organic, all of them selected and approved by our tasting panel and our bespoke hampers are tailored to suit the precise requirements of every customer.

"Our attention to customer care is backed up by a 10-day promise. We offer 10 per cent of our profits to children's charities and we are also environmentally aware with all our hamper baskets capable of being reused."

Joining Karen at the helm of Burnley-based hamperstop are fellow directors Alan Entwistle and Marie Baldwin.

Alan boasts 15 years as a systems analyst in the City, working with a range of blue-chip clients, while Marie worked for a decade on key media accounts across the North West.