A BUSINESS born out of a love of crafting has grown into an online gift specialist selling personalised presents to customers around the world.

Where Bluebirds Fly is run by Laura Clarke from her home in Copmanthorpe, and is one of the entries in the New Business of the Year category after being launched in April this year.

The business started with Ms Clarke selling her crafts in 2014, before she later decided to make a career out of what she doing. She contacted the Princes Trust and attended their enterprise course and began to launch Where Bluebirds Fly.

Ms Clarke said: “I began researching the gift sector, trying to find a gap in the online market as although I have focused on crafts I felt that this wouldn’t give me a USP.

“I wanted to offer a truly unique website and service selling unique but lovely gifts that perhaps you wouldn’t see everywhere, I want to be a ‘go to’ site for gifts with something to suit everyone.”

Ms Clarke has a strong social media presence, with her handmade family tree generating a lot of interest. She has sold her gifts all over the world, and is particularly popular in the US.