Top award for nappy firm

The business is run from an organic farm in west Cornwall

An innovative Cornish business which makes biodegradable and washable nappies has been named as one of the UK's top 10 female-owned businesses.

Liz Scambler, who set up Lollipop Children's Products four years ago, is now just one step away from scooping the top prize of £10,000 in the T-Mobile Women Mean Business Awards.

The Awards, launched in February are designed to recognise the 1,000,000 women in the UK who run their own independent businesses.

Mrs Scambler became involved with environmentally-friendly nappies when her own children were young.

Advisory service

Now she and her 12-strong team design specifications and colourful patterns for the nappies and place orders with manufacturers.

Working from the Scamblers' organic farm at Pendeen they then sell and distribute the nappies across the UK through a network of 150 agents, mostly mothers who have used the products themselves.

Lollipop also operates a unique mum-to-mum advisory service.

"We hope that by highlighting the achievements of female entrepreneurs like Liz Scambler, other women will be inspired to take the plunge and turn their own dream into a business reality," said T-Mobile's managing director Brian McBride.

As a national finalist, Mrs Scambler has won a £3,000 telecommunications package courtesy of T-Mobile, and an invitation to the awards dinner in London next month where the overall winner will be announced and collect £10,000.