A FAMILY-run Leigh business has proved a hit with celebrities including The Only Way is Essex stars and big names from Love Island.

Hayley Sturniolo, 32, founded Inscripture in 2016 while on maternity leave and is now a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

The online business sells sentimental engraved jewellery and has gained almost 60,000 followers on Instagram and 190,000 followers on Facebook.

It has also been named the UK’s leading handwriting specialists.

Popularity boomed after her jewellery was worn on Love Island in 2019, with customers now including Towie stars Chloe Meadows, Courtney Green and Shelby Tribble as well as Love Island favourites Dani Dyer, Laura Anderson and Olivia Attwood.

Hayley started by hand scripting products before moving to engraving words into the items after launching the business in a bid to avoid returning to banking after giving birth.

Hayley said: “I was on maternity leave and decided I didn’t want to go back to work in banking.

“I started making baby bits and bracelets and it massively took off which I never imagined.

“We were getting 2,000 followers a week.

“We started thinking of things we could get to engrave.

“I got a card from my nan and I thought we could start engraving handwriting and that’s how the idea came about. I’ve never looked back.

“In five years it’s nice to see that progress. It really feels like an achievement.

“I never imagined this at all.

“Our jewellery was on Love Island in 2019 - the year Dani Dyer and Laura Anderson were on there.

“It was really nice to see that on the show.”

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Inscripture has now built an international client base, worldwide on Etsy as well as through its website.

“What we do is sentimental and hearing that our customers get comfort and that we can give back is really nice.”

Hayley is hoping to win an award after making the final of the Great British Entrepreneur of the Year awards in the small business category, Hayley added: “The response is amazing.

“A lot of people don’t understand what we do to begin with and think we imitate the writing they bring to us when we actually use it to engrave.

“What we do is sentimental and hearing that our customers get comfort and that we can give back is really nice.

“I’m really proud of where we have come from.”

For more, visit inscripture.com or search for Inscripture on Facebook and Instagram.