A 23-year-old Bradford single mother is setting up her own recruitment company with the help of a London-based group which promotes entrepreneurship.

The firm called The Agency is already in negotiation with a blue chip company to win its first big contract.

After working in the recruitment industry for more than four years, Victoria Foster has decided to set up her own firm to cater to the recruitment needs of people in Bradford, Keighley and Wakefield.

To be launched officially on Monday, January 24, Miss Foster is hoping that her firm will succeed.

Miss Foster said: "I was just fed up of working for someone else.

"I had found work through agencies before but found that I had not liked it. So I decided to actually start working for an agency itself.

"I worked for a very small firm in Keighley and we soon built up a good reputation as a place that people could always go to in order to get work.

"It was a lot of pressure to handle but I enjoyed it a lot."

Miss Foster then left to have her daughter before returning to work for Bradford recruitment firm Horizon, where she truly learned the ropes of the industry.

"At Horizon I was sent on several very extensive training courses where I really learned a lot.

"But after a while I just really wanted to get out on my own and start my own company.

"I chose the name The Agency, because whenever a firm is looking for staff they always say 'Give the agency a call,' instead of naming the company. It seemed very appropriate."

Miss Foster's firm is backed by the London-based Sterling Business Group, which specialises in launching recruitment firms.

Gary Parker, director of the Sterling Business Group, said: "We are pleased to be working with the Agency and are delighted to be backing this venture.

"We believe it will offer a very thorough and useful recruitment service to the Bradford area."

Initially Miss Foster intends to operate her business from her home in Wibsey, Bradford, but is looking to move into proper office space within a few months.