A SISTER act has found that the secret to business success is to be found on the buses.

Elaine Davies and Diane Seymour run York vintage tour company Yorkshire Belles, having started doing tours of York in 1994, in their 1961 London Bus.

Their father, Tommy Grayson, was the first tour guide in York, and when he died in 1990 they wanted to carry on the business.

But, at the same time, City of York Council was looking to cut the number of tour buses in the city because of the congestion and pollution they caused, and introduced restrictions on bus companies.

Undeterred, and determined to carry on the work their dad loved, Elaine cut through the regulations by buying the bus, and running it to a timetable with stops like a service bus rather than a tourist coach.

Over the years, the bus has also become popular for private hire events, such as hen parties and weddings and business is booming.

Three generations of women in the family are involved in the firm, including Elaine's daughters, Claire Bell and Sarah Davies, both of whom have taken their turn as tour guides.

Now the venture is flourishing so much they have entered both the Small Business of the Year and Women in Enterprise Award categories in the 2006 Press Business Awards.

Diane said: "Our main motivation for forming the bus company was to keep dad's famous and distinctive commentary alive.

"In some ways, that is never going to change.

"But by Elaine recently embracing various forms of media, promoting our private hire work, we are seeing the Yorkshire Belles evolve into something new."

She said they had come a long way from the day they first found their beloved bus.

"We found our bus in Kent, not London, and it took us ten hours to bring it up to York," said Diane, "With a maximum speed of 38mph, we were not too popular with drivers on the M1 and M25."

The sisters' entry is just one of scores that are pouring in for the 2006 Press Business Awards.

The deadline for entries is Friday, July 7.

The theme this year is A New Tomorrow, and if you still haven't entered then don't delay, because the sooner you enter our competition, with its 13 categories, the longer your story will be exposed on our website.

The process is so simple and free. Beam into www.thepressbusinessawards.co.uk, click tick up to two categories in our interactive entry form, then copy and paste your Word-formulated submission of up to 1,000 words.

Click on submit and you could be in with a chance of joining the finalists at our glittering awards ceremony at the Voltigeur Suite at York Racecourse in November.

So the prospect of glory is achievable. You owe it to yourself; your staff; your business; and to A New Tomorrow.