The boss of an Ayrshire based travel agency has been honoured with a prestigious award.

Shona Thorne, the managing director and owner of Thorne Travel, was awarded the Business of the Year Award at the celebrated Scottish Women's Awards.

The presentation of the prestigious gong, for businesses with under 50 employees, was a proud moment for Shona, who has been at the heart of the highly successful team at the Thorne Travel Group.

What started as a one-woman show has flourished into a thriving business, earning numerous national accolades, including four-time recognition as Scotland's Top Travel Agency.

Thorne Travel has had an exceptional year, receiving several awards and recognitions. Among them, the Travel Trade Gazette awarded them Scotland's Top Travel Agency for the fourth time, and Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards named them the Best Small Agency in Scotland.

Additionally, Christiane McCorgray, the store manager of the Kilwinning branch, was awarded Touring and Adventure Consultant of the Year, and John Ferguson, the manager of the recently established Cruising with Thorne Travel service, was the runner-up in the Cruise Consultant of the Year category at the Scottish Passenger Agents Association (SPAA) Sparkle Awards.

Thorne expressed her pride and appreciation for her hard-working team, whose success has allowed the business to expand and offer new job opportunities.