A teacher has set up her own small business after discovering a talent for refinishing and ‘upcycling’ old furniture.

Sophie Blackwell, 24, a teacher at the independent Moorfield School, Ilkley, tried her hand at rejuventing secondhand furniture when she moved house and had a limited budget.

Miss Blackwell, who lives in Steeton, visited charity shops and secondhand stores, and transformed the pieces she found by painting and re-covering them.

Her work soon caught the eye of friends and family, and she decided to take orders for her work and she went into business under the name Little Brown Hare.

Miss Blackwell says the trend for bringing old furniture back to life, with a touch of vintage style, has caught on nationwide, following in the footsteps of the likes of Channel 4 programme Kirstie’s Fill Your House For Free.