A university student has won a competition after pitching her business idea selling therapy products.

Mari Tyson, a mental health nursing student at Middlesex University, in The Burroughs, Hendon, won £600 in prize money for her new venture, Sakura Health UK.

Mari, who lives in Claredon Road, Tottenham, sells a range of Japanese-influenced therapy products that contain natural as opposed to chemical based ingredients.

The products include a magnesium spray absorbed straight into the skin, to help those who are deficient in it.

Her inspiration for her company came from her sister, Sakura, who creates natural products at her home in Australia.

She said: "When I found out about the competition, I realised it would be the perfect opportunity to get my business started - as I could take advantage of the support and mentoring offered at the same time.

"It also gave me a great chance to ‘road test’ some business strategies; to find out exactly which products customers prefer, and to troubleshoot potential problems at an early stage."

The prize money will help her buy ingredients in greater bulk, to save money and increase her profit margins.

Middlesex graduate teaching assistant Steven Stott ran the competition and mentored the participants.

Dean of Middlesex University Business School, Anna Kyprianou, said: "I am delighted that the competition has attracted and inspired students - including the winner - from across the university.

"Congratulations to all the finalists. They have all demonstrated that they have exciting products to offer, and Mari’s products, in particular, are ones I would be really tempted to buy myself."