A TELESALES company in north Hampshire is gunning for a top business award.

Great Guns Marketing is among 40 finalists in the South East vying for honours in the prestigious National Business Awards.

There are 10 categories ranging from Business of the Year to The Orange Award for Bright Business.

Great Guns Marketing, which is based at the Beresford Centre, in Wade Road, Chineham, is competing against three other companies in the Customer Focus Award.

Headed by 30-year-old Liz Jackson (pictured), who is registered blind, the company specialises in business-to-business appointment making and has blue-chip companies such as Johnson and Johnson, Microsoft and BT among its clients.

Great Guns Marketing, which has an annual turnover of more than £1million, was a finalist in the prestigious awards last year.

And the company came tops in winning the T-Mobile Women Mean Business Awards 2003, receiving a personal congratulatory message from Prince Charles.

With no capital, Mrs Jackson started the award-winning company after she successfully applied for a grant from The Prince's Trust. From setting up business from a rented flat, Great Guns Marketing now has branches all over the country, from Darlington, Derby and Sheffield to Windsor.

Mrs Jackson said she is looking forward to the south east regional finals of the awards, on Thursday, July 8 at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, at Heathrow, and is hopeful of her chances of making it into the national final on November 9, which will be held at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

A modest Mrs Jackson puts the company's success down to her staff.

"I think the reason why we are so successful is the level of ability in the team. There are 32 people in our Basingstoke office, all of whom are at the top of their profession.

"We have recruited the crme de la crme of people in Basingstoke."