IT was a night of glitz, glamour and girl power in Southampton last night.

Hundreds of women dressed in fabulous frocks packed into the city’s Grand Harbour Hotel for the Daily Echo-backed NatWest Venus Business Awards 2013.

It was the second year the women-only business awards have come to the city – and they certainly did not disappoint.

Sponsors of the 14 award categories proudly announced each of their winners to rapturous applause and noisy clappers before emotional acceptance speeches.

Judges had to whittle down a record-breaking 1,000 nominations to just three finalists for each
category.

There were three categories – including the Daily Echo Business Mother of the Year – where the public had to decide who they wanted to  see crowned the winner.

Emma Sheldon, a disabled mum-of-one and businesswoman, was crowned the 2013 Daily Echo Business Mother of the Year and was presented with her award by Daily Echo editor-in-chief Ian Murray.

Emma is the manager for Southampton Centre for Independent Living Continuing Care (SCILCC), which provides disabled people with choice and control over their care so they can lead fulfilling lives often in challenging circumstances.

Holding back tears, Emma said: “I feel so emotional, I feel incredibly proud to have had a daughter. At the time I had Charlotte I was only the seventh woman in the world with my condition to get pregnant so I feel so lucky for that.

“I feel incredibly lucky to be in employment and able to make a difference to disabled people in Southampton."

The other two finalists were Lucy Stacey, of Lucy’s Cakes, and Emma Dubief, of Jiggywrigglers.

The awards were founded by mum-of-four Tara Howard, managing director of Langtry Manor Hotel in Bournemouth, who wanted to celebrate the often undervalued achievements of women in business.