HUNDREDS of female entrepreneurs from across the region walked up the red carpet at a ceremony aimed at highlighting the best in the North-East.

Anne Ganley, of Sunderland builders' merchant Thompson Building Centres walked away with the Susan Dobson award for entrepreneurship - and was named North-East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 in the awards, organised by Women into the Network (Win) of Durham Business School.

Hundreds of female entrepreneurs, their colleagues and professionals from across the region gathered at the Hilton Hotel, in Gateshead, for the North-East Woman of the Entrepreneur of the Year awards, sponsored by One NorthEast.

The nine categories were sponsored by a host of organisations from across the North East - NetPark, South Tyneside Borough Council, A4e, The North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op, Arts Council England, Northumberland County Council, the New Technology Institute and The Susan Dobson Memorial Fund.

Other winners on the evening were: Most Innovative Idea - Tina Ffrench of CSI Workshops; Young Woman Entrepreneur - Daniele Bainbridge of 1st Fix Recruitment; Supporter of Women's Business - Lynn Elves of Business Link Tyne and Wear; Woman Social Entrepreneur - Sandra Kennedy of Coulkenny (TWMM) Ltd; Best Cultural and Creative Business - Carol Metcalfe and Hilary Turner of Musa Fine Art Ltd; Best Newcomer - Daniele Bainbridge of 1st Fix Recruitment; Best Rural Woman Entrepreneur - Ann Darlington of Hall Hill Farm; Woman in IT - Charlotte Gaisford, Crafty Computer Paper.

An award for Outstanding Achievement in Women's Enterprise was presented to Sadie Ayton, better known as Sadie The Bra Lady.