WHEN mother-of-two, Frances Heath, was made redundant, she took the plunge and started her own business.

After leaving her job as a regional manager with Make a Wish foundation last September, she applied for several posts without success.

With a passion for cooking, she decided to turn her hobby into her job and created Cupcake Kitchen.

Since February, she has sold cup cakes at Winchester’s market in Middle Brook Street every Friday.

The 50-year-old prepares them all at her home in Fallow Field, Badger Farm.

Winchester City Council inspected her kitchen to ensure it was up to scratch and she now has a regular production line of cakes.

She normally bakes around 15 varieties and tries to introduce a fresh flavour each week. Recent creations have included banoffee, along with rosewater and Turkish delight.

She said: “If someone had said to me a year ago that I would be standing behind a market stall selling my cup cakes for a living, I would have laughed at them.

“I hated being out of work and tried very hard to gain employment, but each time I went for an interview, I was competing with so many other applicants.

“Now I can’t believe how happy I am. I love meeting so many of the public and many of them have become regular customers.

“The past few months have been really hard but I’m so glad I persevered.”

Along with cup cakes, she creates cakes for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries.

For more details about Cupcake Kitchen, e-mail frances @fheath.wanadoo.co.uk or telephone 01962 869348.