Anglia Ruskin University student Maria Kurtyova is developing her own photography business after success in a Dragons'-Den style competition.

Maria, who has been studying the Survive and Thrive Anglia Business Class Certificate in Small Business Management for 12 months, was a runner-up in Strictly Come Newmarket, a competition organised by the town's retailers' association.

The prize is a package of business support which includes £3,500 to go towards her business expenses, the free rent of a shop in Newmarket for six months, free business and banking advice and discounts towards her advertising costs. Maria is now going to use her Strictly Come Newmarket prize to start Photography Service4U, which will focus on weddings and other events.

Dr Zlatka Stoeva, the Business Development Manager at Anglia Ruskin, said: "The Anglia Business Class programme is delivered by the Ashcroft International Business School here at Anglia Ruskin University. It is an online training programme aimed at people who have started, or are thinking of starting, a new business. The educational material allows students to progress through the important stages of planning, starting and running a business and no prior business knowledge is required.

The Anglia Business Class was initially rolled out during the Survive and Thrive programme, which has now ended. However, the Anglia Business Class programme will continue to run and anyone interested should email business@anglia.ac.uk or call 0845 196 3177.