AN INDEPENDENT family jeweller has won a top award from The Entrepreneur's Circle.

Mitch Lloyd, who owns Petra Jewellery, based at Viables Craft Centre, was presented with The Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2013 at The Newbury Manor Hotel, in West Berkshire.

Having joined The Entrepreneur's Circle in 2013, Mitch was over the moon with the accolade.

She said: “Being awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 prize feels amazing. I'm now really excited about 2014 - I feel like I can deal with pretty much anything!

“My vision for 2013 may not have gone entirely to plan, but despite this, I'm enormously proud of the work that the team and I have achieved.”

Tim Savage, business growth adviser for The Entrepreneur's Circle in Basingstoke, Newbury and Andover said: “Mitch has demonstrated an extraordinary amount of courage, desire and energy to ensure that her business has thrived, even during this so-called downturn.

“She has shown that delivering amazing customer service and modern effective marketing can take a business to wherever it wants to go.

“Mitch has a fantastic work ethic and no matter what the challenge, she simply gets on with it and makes a success of whatever she is doing.

“Mitch is an inspiration for other business owners and thoroughly deserves this award - she is a true entrepreneur.”