A HUSBAND-and-wife business team from Bolton who overcame tragedy to get their firm off the ground are now in line for a top award.

Ashley and Tracy Glossop founded Westhoughton-based Rainbowz in March of last year, just months after Mr Glossop had been the victim of an unprovoked attack which left him partially sighted.

The young entrepreneurs, who live in Tonge Moor, have now been nominated for a Prince’s Trust Enterprise Award after the charity helped them turn their business into a runaway success. Mr Glossop was attacked in 2006, forcing him to give up his career as a gas engineer.

This came after their first daughter, Kira, now aged seven, was born with cerebral palsy, and Tracy quit her job to be a full-time carer.

Mr Glossop said: “I could have retrained, stacked shelves in a supermarket or gone into business.

“In the end we just bit the bullet and set up Rainbowz. We had a mortgage to pay so doing nothing wasn’t an option.”

Rainbowz originally sold personalised gifts for children, but at the start of this year, the couple restructured their company after the business failed to take off.

Since then they have joined up with the Prince’s Trust and now sell promotional goods for other businesses and personalised work clothing.

Mr Glossop added: “Running your own business is very, very hard work. But then that’s what the Prince’s Trust mentor is there for, to support us. They have been great and it is amazing to be nominated for an award.

“Touch wood, so far we haven’t been affected by the credit crunch. We are getting new customers every month. Word of mouth is very important.”

The Prince’s Trust Celebrate Success ceremony takes place at St George’s Hall in Liverpool next Monday.