BUSINESS is blooming for a Breightmet couple who have opened a new flower selling business inside Bolton Railway Station.

The Thistle Dew Nicely stall is the brainchild of partners Ray Wilkinson and Vanessa Carter and has come to life after the couple took part in a business training scheme at their local UCAN centre.

That training was delivered by social housing provider Bolton at Home in conjunction with Bright Direct training and was funded thanks to a £10,000 injection from Warburtons.

The idea of the scheme was to harness the entrepreneurial spirit of local residents who wanted to set up their own businesses and provide essential advice and information as well as covering some start up costs.

But for the enterprising pair, the idea of selling flowers was something that had been in the pipeline for some time.

Miss Carter, aged 39, had taken inspiration from a difficult period of her life, when her father was ill in hospital.

She said: “I was always interested in flowers — one of my friends was a florist and I was often helping her.

“When my father died I actually did the flowers for the funeral and after that I thought this was something that I could do.”

After returning to Bolton, she enrolled on a flower arranging course at Wigan and Leigh College.

The couple, who have been together for four years and live in Breightmet heard about the Warburtons course and decided to get involved.

Mr Wilkinson, aged 41, said: “The sessions with Bright Direction gave us the important insights into what is required and we received money for really good business cards, a great banner as well as public liability insurance — it was brilliant.”

The aspiring entrepreneurs also worked with Bolton Business Ventures on creating a business plan and received a vital £5,000 in funding from Virgin Start Up loans.

Mr Wilkinson, who is disabled and is cared for by Miss Carter, said: “All these different people have made this dream possible and we are very excited about giving it a go.”

They want to offer a bespoke flower service, catering for any occasion including weddings and funerals.

The railway location is already proving to be a rich source of customers.

He said: “One man had come from Leigh to meet his girlfriend’s mum for the first time so was delighted that we were here — I even persuaded him to get an extra bunch for his girlfriend as well."

Miss Carter said the flower venture gives her a chance to keep her father’s memory alive.

She said: “He was Scottish and the thistle part of the name is a bit of a tribute to him.”

For more information visit facebook.com/flowersbyvanessa