Qualified chef Hannah McLean always dreamed about having her own business.

The 24-year-old, pictured left, trained at the Bournemouth & Poole College with her final year dedicated to patisserie and confectionery.

After qualifying she worked for Costa and Patisserie Mark Bennett.

And then the pandemic struck.

Hannah, who lives in Chickerell, was forced to shield at home due to her medication.

The outlook seemed bleak.

But she had an idea.

Why not use her skills as a chef – and her newly installed kitchen – to start her own business from home?

Hannah’s Best Bakes was launched at the end of last year.

Eight months on and she now supplies two cafes – Store6 in Poundbury and Harry’s Cafe in Wareham – as well as the Turks Head Inn in Chickerell and a weekly market held in the pub’s car park.

Home-baked products supplied range from chocolate brownies and cup cakes to rocky road and Dorset apple cake.

Hannah has also found success with her decorated celebration cakes for every type of occasion from birthdays to anniversaries.

Collection and delivery within a ten mile radius can be arranged.

Many of the orders are last minute.

Hannah is now baking every day and says she couldn’t be happier.

She said: “It’s my happy place and I absolutely love it.

“It’s calm, I can get on at my own pace and the response from my customers is just lovely.

“One day I’d like to get a unit or, perhaps, my own cafe but that’s for the future.

“For now I’m just very happy baking and looking after my customers.”

Hannah said her biggest supporter was her Mum, Su Turner, pictured right.

Su, who is Director of Sales and Marketing at Ouch Training Team in Wimborne, said: “I am so proud of how Hannah has turned around a difficult situation into a super busy business.

“Check out her Instagram and Facebook accounts.

“Her reviews are fantastic.”

There’s just one downside to Hannah’s home-based bakery business.

She said: “My partner, Luke, loves my cakes but is worried about putting on too much weight.

“The house smells of baking all the time.

“But I’m so glad I started the business.

“It’s just taken off – much more than I expected.

“To be running my own business really is the icing on the cake.”

• hannahsbestbakes@hotmail.com