A PRESTWICH businesswoman was on Virgin territory when she was a guest of entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

Zara Neild, who runs her own cake and coffee shop in Bury Old Road, was among a six-strong group of start-up businessmen and women invited to visit the Virgin Group founder at his palatial Oxfordshire home.

The 30-year-old is a Virgin StartUp ambassador who was selected after receiving vital funding to launch her enterprise. The £9,000 start-up loan allowed her to open her Prestwich shop 16 months ago and she also runs a separate small unit at Manchester's Arndale Centre.

More than four years ago, she started baking from home, creating an assortment of cakes for local individual customers as well as businesses. Customers over the years have included the Trafford Centre and former Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan.

So successful was the baking business that the Prestwich woman decided to expand by opening her own Zara Cakes and coffee shop in her home town. But her biggest obstacle to achieving her dream was the lack of money.

"To be honest, I didn't have a penny and couldn't get any loans or funding," she recalled. "But thankfully, I was able to get a Virgin StartUp loan of £9,000, And now, they've appointed me as a Virgin StartUp ambassador."

She and five fellow ambassadors were given the opportunity to meet Sir Richard Branson when they travelled to Oxfordshire.

Said Zara: "We went to his house and had a meeting with him and a relaxed lunch. And afterwards, we all went for a walk. Sir Richard was really lovely and so down to earth."

Zara hopes to harness her skills and expertise by ultimately opening a cake school in Prestwich. Her business employs an eight-strong staff.

* Virgin StartUp is a not-for-profit organisation that helps entrepreneurs aged 18 and over in England get the funding , resources and advice they’ll need to make their business idea a reality. For more details: visit http://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/virgin-startup-announce-2015-ambassadors