Women in Kent are among the most enterprising in Britain when it comes to setting up businesses, a report has revealed.

As nationwide initiatives attempt to encourage more women to set up their own businesses, a report by business research firm Gavurin highlighted Kent as one of the key areas in the UK where women are leading the way.

The Women Executives in the UK report found that a total of 911 new, all-female-director companies were registered in Kent last year and 17,313 female directors live in the area.

Kirsten Gibbs, chair of Medway and North Kent Women in Business, said it was very encouraging to see women across the county achieving their full potential in the business world.

She said: "Women in Kent are really putting themselves out there and showing great creative, entrepreneurial spirit, but they don’t do that at the expense of other women.

"Business women in Kent are dynamic, inspirational, very business-focused and pro-active in helping and learning from each other.

"Our members offer fantastic practical support to each other – especially in encouraging new businesswomen and giving a lift to others who are going through the same experiences they’ve already been through."

She added: "Women are natural networkers and do what comes naturally to them, which is help other people. And, of course, we do business with each

other as a result."

Paul Miller, managing director at Gavurin, said: "Women Executives in the UK is the most comprehensive survey ever of women-run businesses and organisations and it’s encouraging to see such great statistics for the Kent area.

"There is an increasingly robust debate taking place about the contribution women make to our society and the role they play in shaping key institutions.

"And few institutions are as important as those which employ us."

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is currently running a campaign to attract more women into business after it was revealed women are massively under-represented in UK enterprise.

Katie Lloyd, head of enterprise policy at SEEDA, disclosed that nationwide there are only about half the number of female-owned companies per head of population as in the United States.

In the last Budget Chancellor Alistair Darling announced a £12.5 million fund in a bid to encourage women to set up businesses.