A fledgling entrepreneur whose business has taken on more than 100 staff in 18 months has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards.

Kelly-Anne Byres, director of Poppy Nursing and Care Services, is a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur category of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in association with NatWest and is in the running to be named Entrepreneur of the Year in the Women of the Future Awards, run by Aviva.

Kelly and business partner Claire Woodman launched their nursing agency just 18 months ago after spotting a gap in the market for the provision of high quality and affordable NHS staff.

They have since moved to bigger office premises in Ipswich, opened a second branch of the business in Nottingham and secured exclusive contracts with leading hospital trusts.

Kelly, 27, from Rendlesham, who also runs accountancy firm KBL Accounts which she set up when she was just 24, said: “We put patient care firmly at the core of the business which is why we have become a trusted and well-respected agency so quickly.

“It has been a roller coaster ride but we have worked hard to stand out from the crowd.

“Being nominated for awards and recognised for our achievements is the icing on the cake.”

Earlier this year Kelly was named as “One to Watch” in a prestigious list of 35 Women Under 35 compiled by Management Today magazine.

She was also a finalist in the East Anglian Daily Times Business Awards in the Young Businessperson of the Year category.

The Entrepreneur of the Year judges praised her “fresh, forward-thinking approach”.

Simon Burton, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said her entry had been “awe inspiring”.

“The judges had the extremely difficult task of whittling the great and good of the entrepreneurial community down to the very best,” he added.

Kelly will find out if she has won the Great British Entrepreneur Awards and the Women of the Future Awards in November.