A young entrepreneur has launched two successful businesses after following in her mum's footsteps at university.

Laura Devaney, 21, is getting ahead in business after gaining an arts degree at University of Cumbria – 30 years after her mother completed her studies at the same campus.

Laura runs two new businesses with her partner Cameron Martin, who is also a member of the University of Cumbria’s alumni association.

They have opened The Lounge Bar and nightclub Bomb Shelter, in the city’s Botchergate, in the last six months.

Drama and musical theatre graduate Laura has also launched Dream It Events, an interactive character performance company aimed at the children’s entertainment market.

Last month, Laura from Blackburn was given the community engagement prize awarded by the university’s Institute of the Arts.

She received the prize in recognition of how she had transferred skills developed whilst at university to launch commercial ventures.

Laura said: “I didn’t want to leave university and think ‘What next?’ and University of Cumbria has helped me develop the skills and confidence to do what I’m doing now.

“I can’t thank the University of Cumbria team enough, particularly tutors Jonathan Millican and Nick Butters at the Institute of the Arts.

"They are amazing and have been so supportive of me. There are no real words.”

Laura’s mum Sue saw her pick up the award, three decades after completing her own course – a HND in graphic design – at the same Brampton Road campus, which was then the Cumbria Institute of the Arts.

She said: “I’ve come back to Carlisle a few times since finishing here myself; it always feels like home. I stayed here in Carlisle after leaving uni and now I’m back often to see Laura.We’ve virtually lived in the same streets and there’s been other similarities; it’s been a real mirror image in a lot of ways. I’m immensely proud of her.”

Musical theatre lecturer Nick Butters said: “As an actor Laura is extremely talented and I’m so thrilled to see her go on to enjoy success in this way."