AGAINST doctors' advice, Maxine Emmett decided to have a second child.

It is just as well she did because little Olivia, born last year, has sparked off a whole new working life for pain-wracked Maxine, of Mount Gardens, Harrogate, who had to cut short climbing up the career ladder with HSBC Bank because of a rare, degenerative, nerve-destroying condition known as syringomyelia.

Maxine, 36, had already had a big operation in an attempt to stop its progress and is now registered disabled.

But the arrival of Olivia meant that she did most of her baby clothes-buying on the Internet and was impressed by one website, in particular, Basics4Baby, which sold new and "gently worn" baby clothes.

When she heard that its owner was selling up the website, she bought it and completely revamped it.

Now the website is pitching for two titles in the 2004 Evening Press Business of the Year - New Business of the Year and Best e-commerce business.

Her brother redesigned the site which re-opened after six weeks.

Maxine added credit card facilities, a competitions page sponsored by suppliers and a mailing list draw.

Maxine said: "I try and market the site furiously despite often having 30 minutes in the day to do so while Olivia is asleep.

"We have worked ridiculously hard on it without a break and deserve some success.

"Above everything, it has given me back the self-worth that I had lost when I retired on ill-health.

"I have my ideal job, hours, and feel like a human being again.

"Businesses can be far more rewarding than the money they generate."

Updated: 15:39 Tuesday, August 03, 2004