MOTHER-OF-THREE Pauline Arrowsmith has taken over a popular salon business she helped set up six years ago.

The bubbly 51-year-old beauty therapist is now the proud owner of Finishing Touches, in Uttoxeter's High Street.

She decided to take the plunge and buy the business despite the recession and the bad press surrounding the tanning industry.

Pauline has three grown-up children, two girls aged 31 and 18 and a boy, aged 33.

The eldest girl works at a fitness centre in Stoke-on-Trent and her youngest is a Liverpool University student. Her son is a PE teacher in Bolton.

She said: "I was worried about taking it on, but it is an existing business and not one I needed to set up.

"The town is really quiet at the moment, what with the recession and job losses, and the industry has been having a bad press.

"I am hoping that the future is going to be a lot brighter. I will be doing some special offers in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year."

Pauline, who lives in Cheadle and has five grandchildren, had previously worked in a family butchery business.

She spent three years at Stoke-on-Trent College training as a beauty therapist, and after working in a salon in Newcastle she moved to Uttoxeter to manage Finishing Touches, which was owned by Rachel Dearden.

Rachel, who has sold up for family reasons, said: "I would like to thank all the customers and hope that they will continue to support Pauline."

Pauline, who worked just three days a week when she started at Finishing Touches, continued: "This is a one-man band, but I am a hard worker and I am determined to make a go of it. Everyone is so friendly in the town."

The High Street salon provides wax treatments, manicures, pedicures, facials and sunbeds.

She has also introduced a range of accessories for her customers who are drawn mainly from the Uttoxeter area.

The salon also caters for male clients.

One of the salon's customers is Angela Ainsworth, who lives in the village of Doveridge.

She said: "I am very pleased that Pauline has taken over the salon.

"She has done a lot of hard work helping to build the business up and she deserves every success."