A private tutor has been named businesswoman of the year at the Kent Best Business Awards.

Helena Sait, who is a qualified teacher based in Sittingbourne, provides 11-plus exam prep tuition to children across the county via her company The 11+ Supertutor.

Business Awards Kent was created to celebrate the work by small firms across the county.

They are open to all organisations regardless of size or maturity and are presented across eight different categories.

The businesswoman of the year category is for women who have founded and run their own business and have helped it achieve significant results this year.

The awards were held at the Great Danes Mercure Hotel in Maidstone on December 7, and more than 200 people attended.

Helena said: "I still can’t believe it. I was enjoying chatting to fellow finalists and then everyone around me started clapping and cheering.

"I was so shocked that when I stood up to walk up to the stage, I knocked my drink across the table.

"The atmosphere was incredible and it gave everyone such a boost and a reminder that all the hard work really does pay off."