HARD work paid off for a student who entered Aberystwyth University's 'Dragons' Den' and scooped a £20,000 entrepreneurship prize.

Lucy-Jane Newman, from Stourport-on-Severn, was chosen from five finalists who pitched their business proposals to a panel experts during the Dragons' Den-style InvEnterPrize 2014.

The final year BSc (Econ) Marketing student's winning pitch, called Florence Taylor, was to manufacture and sell bespoke premium beauty tools handmade in Britain.

Miss Newman, a former pupil at Hagley Catholic High School and Sixth Form, said: “I’ve been working relentlessly at this business idea for the last two years.

"With the graduate job market more competitive than ever, winning the InvEnterPrize competition is priceless.

"It will enable me to create my own job by launching Florence Taylor full-time upon my graduation in July.”

Chair of the judges, professor Donald Davies, Aber alumnus and a founding director of ML Laboratories plc, said congratulated her on winning InvEnterPrize 2014.

“Following the success of last year’s winner Jake Stainer from language website Papora, we look forward to following Lucy’s progress as she works to establish Florence Taylor.”