A teddy bear fanatic has turned her life-long passion into a thriving business.

Charlotte Morris, founder of Yeadon-based Charlie Bears, has backed her hobby to the hilt after selling her house and car to launch the fledgling firm.

And barely six months after hitting the shops, the internationally-designed toys are starting to work their magic with collectors at home and abroad falling in love with the cuddly creatures.

As far back as she can remember Charlotte has loved teddy bears. A collection of more than 100 is kept at her home in Otley Old Road, near Yeadon.

Aged just 17, Charlotte, with help from mum Lynne, launched her own shop selling bears at Granary Wharf in Leeds. The shop proved a success and allowed her to open two more retail units in the White Rose Centre and on Town Street in Horsforth. All have now been sold.

Despite her success, Charlotte's ultimate ambition has always been to manufacture and distribute her own range of high-quality, hand-made bears, a feat she is now delighted to have achieved.

Since launching Charlie Bears last November, the firm has sold about 3,000 cuddly creatures and now stocks more than 80 designs available at about 70 distributors.

The company already has a stockist in France and has been approached by firms in Germany, Belgium and Austria.

"Business has been fantastic," said Charlotte. "We are already projecting trade of around £1 million after the first two years.

"I have been collecting teddy bears since the age of four and so I know at first-hand how hard it is to buy artist-designed bears at an affordable price.

"The market is huge and up-and-coming with lots of young collectors. I set up Charlie Bears to cater for them."

And with prices of collectable bears reaching up to £400, Charlotte's own ranges are starting to take the teddy bear market by its ears.

She added: "What we aimed to do was produce bears that were designed by an artist, had a certificate of authenticity and were jointed but also retailed at a price between £20 and £30."

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk