A REGIONAL manager for a national real estate firm has been named Businesswoman of the Year at the company's annual awards ceremony.

Carole Bradley has worked for Connells for almost 20 years, starting her career at the Foregate Street office, in Worcester.

She is now the regional director covering the Worcester office and the Warndon Villages office.

She was presented with a Jasper Conran crystal bowl by divisional managing director, Ken Waller, at the ceremony, who said her contribution to the company had been "huge".

Accepting the award, Ms Bradley said it was for the whole team.

"The teams at Worcester and Warndon Villages have all worked extremely hard to achieve our goals and I couldn't have done this without them," she said.

She said she placed great emphasis on the importance of recruiting and nurturing good staff.

Worcester office manager, Alan Metcalfe, had been with the company 11 years, and Warndon Villages manager, Ian King, had started with the company as a negotiator.

"Most of them started out with Connells and have developed their careers within the company.''