Young Claudia Baker from Hoyland set up a business selling home-made fudge as part of the 'I Know I Can' Barnsley Big Challenge.

Claudia was so successful she was shortlisted as a finalist, meaning she had to pitch her business to a panel of judges - a daunting prospect for a 15-year-old.

She went on to win her category in the competition which was the best business in key stage four.

Now Claudia has also been nominated in the Young Entrepreneur category of the Proud of Barnsley awards.

She was put forward by her mum Claire Baker who said:

"I'm nominating Claudia because we are so proud of the success she has made of her business.

"Claudia didn't receive the initial start-up funding that other businesses in the I Know I Can competition got but she decided to go ahead anyway investing her own money."

Claudia called her business The Fudge Baker, a play on her own name. She designed the branding and sourced the equipment she would need, carrying out lots of market research to establish which flavours of fudge would sell, and has now got a popular range.

She set up a Facebook page and has sold her fudge through it, with orders from as far afield as Ireland, and also sells at various fairs and in workplaces.

Her mum said: "Claudia has reinvested her profit into the business purchasing such things as a banner for her stalls, a personalised T-shirt and business cards."

She has been continuing her business by attending fairs through the summer, and is expanding with new flavours.

Mum Claire added: "We are very proud of Claudia achieving all this with very little help during a very important year at school.

"She has still managed to achieve excellent grades in recent exams and time to volunteer in a charity-run cafe throughout the school holidays."

Do you know a young person as enterprising as Claudia? If so, you can nominate by visiting www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/proudofbarnsley or call Liz on 734459.