TELEVISION personality and ChildLine founder Esther Rantzen was guest of honour when East Lancashire business-women celebrated their achievements with a glamorous awards ceremony.

The Unique women in business organisation, part of the East Lancs Chamber of Commerce, held its second annual dinner and inaugural awards at the Dunkenhalgh, Clayton-le-Moors.

Tracy Bullows, who runs the Whitehall Hotel and Restaurant with husband Neil, received the Jean Seery Woman of the Year Award for her dedication to business while also raising two children.

Meanwhile, Kitchener 2000, an electrical testing company, was named Unique Business of the Year at the event, which was attended by around 300 people.

Mrs Rantzen delighted the audience with tales from her days presenting That's Life and also spoke of the women who had inspired her, including Princess Diana and Lady Thatcher.

In the Unique Business of the Year category Contemporary Photographic Training and Cummins Mellor Recruitment were highly commended, while Catherine Connor, Liz Cousins, Liz Faye and Stephanie Tilly were highly commended in the Woman of the Year category.