A Teesside woman says an employment agency has helped her leave the dole and dead-end jobs for a career in creative art.

Clare Hansford, 27, of Saltburn and originally from Hartlepool, gave up her plans to use her degree in textile design after failing to get a job.

Instead she ended up on the dole for 18 months until civil servants sent her for employment coaching by Jeffrey Cotton, of Pertemps Employment Alliance.

Now she is running her own business making handmade greetings cards, and is holding workshops at colleges across Teesside, including Cleveland College of Art and Design, in Hartlepool, where she got her degree.

"If anyone had told me a few years ago that I would be running my own business I would not have believed them," said Clare.

"It's just taken off really quickly. I can't believe how much work I've got.

"I always wanted to be an artist but there aren't really that many opportunities to do that.

"I've had brief spells as a florist, working as a graphic designer and in shops, but never been able to do what I wanted until now."

Pertemps has the Employment Zone contract for the South Tees area. The agency found Clare a business advisor and gave her financial help.