And they're off..

Series five of BBC's The Apprentice got off to an explosive start last night as Kent contestant Mona Lewis found herself in the boss's boardroom.

As girls' team leader - heading up the losing side - the Sittingbourne former bank worker found herself facing the full might of Sir Alan's inquisition.

She narrowly avoided being fired in a head-to-head with two other contestants.

Now she and fellow Kent combatant Lorraine Tighe face a further 11 gruelling weeks in what's been described as "the interview from hell".

Both hope to bag the £100k salary working for multi-millionaire businessman Sir Alan.

Lorraine Tighe is a National Accounts Manager and left school at 16.

The single mother has gone on to be the top salesperson in every company she has ever worked for and admires Victoria Beckham for being equally resourceful.

Stubborn mother-of-one Mona Lewis is a former customer advisor for NatWest Bank in Sittingbourne High Street.

She was born in Karachi and is a former Tanzanian beauty-queen.

Among others Ms Lewis and Ms Tighe are competing against are a city stockbroker, an award-winning restaurant owner, a qualified lawyer, an aristocrat, a 21-year-old entrepreneur, an ex-professional footballer and a chess champion.