YOUNG Maidstone entrepreneur Terri West has won a business accolade from Prince Charles.

Terri shared joint third place in the Prince's Trust and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Business Awards presented in London this month.

Terri, 24, founder of the FieldForce Agency, an enterprise that recruits, vets and supplies high-quality promotional staff to the likes of Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, L'Oreal and Clarins, won a cash prize of £1,000.

Terri said: "Having my prize presented to me by the Prince of Wales was a thrill - the certificate will be framed and have pride of place in my office.

"I think it's important to make the effort to enter business competitions, because it helps you to focus on your longer term business strategy - and hopefully, also gives other young people the inspiration to go for it!"

Judge and successful entrepreneur Wayne Hemingway said: "Terri seems a natural entrepreneur with the necessary drive and I am sure FieldForce will go from strength to strength."

Terri, a former student at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, and West Kent College, worked for L'Oreal Paris for several years.

She lives in Maidstone and runs her business from The Street, Mereworth.

Terri was unemployed for some time before starting her business from a spare bedroom in her mother's house.

She was helped by a Prince's Trust Business Programme loan of £2,500 and business mentor Colin Gibb, who lives in Maidstone.

Nearly two years on, she has more than 600 staff on her books and expects turnover to exceed £200,000.

More than 200 young businesses from around the UK entered the competition, with 11 reaching the final.

Terri shared third place with Christine Sadler of Christine Sadler Designer Jewellery in Ayr, Scotland, both of whom received a cash prize of £1,000.

The top prize of £4,000 went to Jamie Rowland, 'The Bicycle Doctor' from Porth, Wales, with second prize of £2,000 going to Graham Nicoll of Grazies Corporate Health and Fitness Training.

Judges said Terri, who works at least 12 hours a day, was chosen because of her customer acquisition and sales tactics, budgetary management skills; innovation and "going the extra mile".

The Prince's Trust in Kent and its partner, The Kent Foundation, have helped more than 750 young entrepreneurs in Kent and Medway since it was set up in 1986.