A passion for baking has led a Grantham mum-of-three to launch her own business while still coping with a demanding day job.

Laila, who is 38 and works as a social worker, launched Sweet Treat Street in September after finding family and friends enjoyed her baking so much during the first lockdown.

The Grantham mum is married to Leicestershire policeman Luke, a former chef, which explains why Laila is reluctant to give her full name, for personal safety reasons.

Laila told Nub News: "I grew up in catering and hospitality. My father had a guest house. I'm just a self taught baker. I always had a sweet tooth and discovered I was good a making cakes. People have always said I should sell them. I don't just bake them, I also make them look nice."

And it was lockdown that led to her new venture.

Laila further explained: "I think if the virus has taught us anything it's to be grateful for small things. Lockdown kept us away from family and friends but forced us to slow down, spend time with our children and focus on the simple things in life - a walk in the forest, that dusty board game that usually only comes out at Christmas - and for us, baking treats together. Baking treats that we sent to family and friends to bring a little smile on their face and to remind them that they are loved and that someone was thinking of them."

Laila continued: "Both myself and my husband worked throughout lockdown as keyworkers (myself a social worker and my husband a police officer) and the time with and away from our children and the pressure that the knock on effects that the virus had on us and so many other families made us take stock and realise that we needed to spend more time with the children whilst they are young! Without being sombre - one thing we have all learned is that nothing in life is guaranteed and we take our health for granted so much.

"So when everyone who tried our treats told us we should sell them - it started to make sense that I would try to build a business - making treats and bringing smiles to other peoples faces (because who doesn't love a treat?!) and maybe in the future being able to work from home in a less stressful job so I can really be present for my children as well as provide for them."

And within weeks, Sweet Treat Street was the talk and the taste of the town.

Laila continued: "At first I didn't really expect it to drum up too much business but the local interest and support has been overwhelming! I ran a competition whereby local people could nominate a team of keyworkers to receive a box of treats and so many people entered some amazing teams and it was drawn at random. I took a box of goodies to Ambient Care, a residential place for people with additional needs and I just felt so good being able to give something back.

"Everything is freshly baked at home with the high quality ingredients. Taste and presentation is everything and so not only are the treats delicious - they are also wrapped up beautifully so the treat really feels like a treat! They have been described as the perfect gift."

Laila has just started a postal service for selected items as many customers also wanted to sent treats to their loved ones.

She continued: "I'm currently working on the "free from" menu but it's taking some time as I am still working full time and have three very young children to care for but I hope that it will pay off and I can eventually reduce my hours in my actual job and spend more time at home with the children whilst bringing treat induced smiles to the dessert lovers of Grantham and beyond."

And like any business, there are regulations to consider as well as sales and marketing.

Laila said: "I recently got a 5 star hygiene rating for our kitchen which is amazing because everything is lovingly made in our kitchen at home. I built the website www.sweettreatstreet.com on my own - which was certainly a task and a half! But I did it. Because when we put our minds to a task, we really are capable of anything!"

Her deserved success has seen Laila contacted by a few businesses to stock her desserts and Sweet Treat Street now supplies the Chapel House Pizza Co in Barrowby with desserts on Fridays and Saturdays.

Laila added: "In just two months, I've expanded to make fresh desserts and twin flavour cheesecakes. I've had to extend my dispatch times as I have become quite busy. Bear in mind I'm still working full time. My children get up at 6am. I start work at 9am, dinner etc and bedtime is at 6.30pm. I start baking at 7.30pm until about 1-2am. It's hard graft but it has been worth it."