REDUNDANCY spurred a Winsford mum to take a big gamble.

When Sam Belben lost her job in the credit control department of a pub chain, she was determined to bring in some cash.

"I'd always enjoyed baking and cooking, making things for friends and having dinner parties," she said. "I had a passion for baking."

In 2010, she bought a mixer on the family credit card and has never looked back.

Her creative baking skills, organisational ability and persistence proved to be the ideal ingredients for a recipe for success.

Her business, Mrs B's Queen of Cakes, now attracts so many orders, Sam's kitchen at home is no longer big enough.

The 43-year-old is looking for a small industrial unit so she can expand.

"I had no money to put into the business at all," said Sam. "Everything I made I bought more equipment with. I put myself on business courses and taught myself about tax and legalities."

Sam learnt how to make a selection of confectionery and loves trying out new ideas.

"I'm not just a birthday cake person," she said. "I do all celebrations, christenings, weddings, baby showers and funerals. I also supply a lot of farm shops and cafes."

Artisan markets, fairs and special events have helped her to make her mark and develop regular customers.

"Everything over the last eight years has been built up through word of mouth," she said. "It's been getting better and better, year in year out."

Sam's husband Kevin become a director a few years ago and looks after marketing and all the paperwork and her 14-year-old daughter Sadie lends a hand with labelling products and serving customers as she travels around.

Orders piling up doesn't phase her as she is meticulously organised and employs another woman part time to help out.

"I prefer it full on," she said. "I might have a melt down but we always get there. Everything has to be out by a certain date but I've never missed a deadline. I was worried in the early days because I wasn't academic at all. But anything hands-on and creative suits me fine.

"I am proud of what I have achieved."

The Great British Bake Off and other TV cookery shows, she says, have made baking more popular.

"Cooking and baking have sky rocketed which is good," said Sam. "People find it very therapeutic.

"There are a lot of hobby bakers out there but they have no insurance, no hygiene certificate and no formal training.

"My own home town is full of bakers but there is enough work out there for all of us. I am friendly with other cake businesses. We ring each other up to borrow things and ask advice. It's a nice network on your doorstep."

Sam is now looking for premises to expand but so far hasn't been able to find anything suitable.

"I don't want to be turning down work," she said. "I don't want a shop, just a small business unit.

"I am positive about the future. I always encourage people to follow their dreams."