Aberystwyth web designer and business owner Kerry Ferguson has been announced as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Forward Ladies National Awards for the North West, Ireland and Wales.

The national awards were introduced nine years ago to acknowledge and promote the fact that women are an integral part of every business and venture across the UK and this year’s regional final was held at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester.

Managing director of Forward Ladies, Griselda Togobo said: “The calibre of entries has been increasing year on year, and our regional shortlists are the everyday heroines, trailblazers and role models who have succeeded despite enormous challenges. They deserve recognition.”

Alongside running Gwe Cambrian Web in Aberystwyth with her partner Emlyn, Kerry has pioneered Discover Your Wales, which is a web-based solution to tourism in Wales, offering an outlet for accommodation providers to advertise and a one-stop shop for visitors to book and find out more about the area they are visiting.

Kerry said: “I was absolutely shocked to win this award, I had to be prompted twice when they called my name and I was still shaking when it came to having my photo taken.

“It’s an absolute honour to go forward and represent Wales as a young entrepreneur in the national awards, and I hope my success will inspire other young women in business to just go for it.”

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday