A SEXY underwear designer aims to follow in the footsteps of Zandra Rhodes and Karen Millen after scooping a young business accolade.

In a double triumph for the Canterbury area, Laura Cloke, 24, from Beltinge, was named Kent's Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Shell LiveWire awards, held at Sittingbourne Research Centre. Ideas and Concepts Group, run from Stour Street, Canterbury, was runner-up.

Laura's lingerie business Ell and Cee impressed the all-female judging panel chaired by Carol Harries of the University of Kent.

Laura studied fashion design and technology at Kent Institute of Art and Design in Rochester where fashion gurus Zandra Rhodes and Karen Millen were past students.

"They are very different," said Laura after confessing to shock at winning the award.

"Zandra Rhodes is quite an eccentric whereas Karen Millen has gone for the high street chain. It would be lovely to follow in their footsteps."

She added: "I would like to have a good reputation, a good brand name and sell all over the country."

Laura designs and cuts the products, while two home workers in Westgate make them.

She said they were in the middle price range, "between high street and designer." "I've got my own signature. It is very feminine and I always try to use chiffon, lace and nice fabrics."

She sells her products through boutiques in well-heeled areas such as Notting Hill and Kensington. There are stockists in Canterbury and Whitstable.

Laura, who won cash and business advice worth £2,000, was helped by a loan from The Prince's Trust, the charity set up by Prince Charles, to start her enterprise.

She goes on to the regional final at Brands Hatch on April 29th.

Ideas and Concepts Group was founded by Alex Ridings, 24, from Canterbury, and Asa Cox, 23, from Reading.

It is an online and offline marketing, promotional and chatroom service for students, and now employs around 10 people, including web designer Cameron Jennings, 19, also from Canterbury. The website receives about 10,000 visits a month.

This year's contest, the 21st, returned to its roots. Many previous events were held in The Woodstock Club when the research centre site was owned by Shell. It was organised by Steve Lovett of Medway Chamber of Commerce.

Sponsors included Baker Tilly, Barclays Bank, the University of Kent and Business Link Kent.