A florist in Teesside has won the National Flower Shop of the Year Award .
The Diana Kaye florist took the accolade at the Spring Flower Event, held at The International Convention Centre in Birmingham on Sunday.
The small high street shop held off competition from the major UK chains and supermarkets to win the top prize, while also scooping a second award for being a top scoring Interflora florist .
The trader was one of only five florists in Britain to win a platinum award for excellence, achieved last year in a knock out heat of the Flower Shop of the Year Awards .
The national champion said: "We were genuinely taken aback. I told the (staff) don't raise your hopes. It was the biggest shock since I gave birth to my little boy two years ago, aged 40."
Allen left school, and at the age of 16 began her florist's business from the premises where she used to help out during her school holidays .
