A beautician who set up her own businesses in the centre of Norwich 14 years ago has been named beautician of the year.

Norwich Evening News: Leanne Ward, Charlotte Lawn, Charlotte Sims and Kellie Harrowing at the English Hair and Beauty Awards. Photo: Charlotte SimsLeanne Ward, Charlotte Lawn, Charlotte Sims and Kellie Harrowing at the English Hair and Beauty Awards. Photo: Charlotte Sims (Image: Charlotte Sims)

Beating around 900 other beauticians for the top spot in a national award, Charlotte Sims, owner of Charisma Beauty and Nails, has been crowned the overall winner.

She received the award at the finals of the English Hair and Beauty Awards which were held at the Athena Leicester.

Miss Sims, 31 also attended the event with some of her team members as the salon was shortlisted in the final for beauty salon of the year award.

Miss Sims said: 'I've been running Charisma for 14 years. I started out with just one treatment room and it's gone from just me on my own to now having a team of 10 and we're winning awards.

Norwich Evening News: Charlotte Sims has been named beautician of the year. Photo: ArchantCharlotte Sims has been named beautician of the year. Photo: Archant (Image: Archant)

'We are a team and without the girls this wouldn't be possible, a special thanks to my partner Billy Carrs for being seriously neglected at times and for supporting me in everything I do, a massive thanks to my grandparents, this wouldn't be possible without them and also thanks to our customers and clients who have supported us.

'On the day we were driving to the awards we almost forgot that we could win an award and when we did win it felt so surreal, it took about a week for it to sink in.'

Miss Sims' team are: Leanne Ward, Kellie Harrowing, Suzy Utting, Hayley Bull, Ruth Lowson, Charlotte Lawn, Stephanie Barker, Laurel Duffield and Georgie White.

The awards aspire to recognise and celebrate those in the hair and beauty industry who make us look and feel our best and often go above and beyond to do so.

The awards have been running for the past five years and have grown to become the industry's leading awards ceremony.

The awards evening helped to raise money for Make A Wish Foundation, a charity which provides magical experiences to children and young people facing life-threatening conditions.

For more information on the English Hair and Beauty Awards, visit www.hairandbeautyawards.info/ehaba/