An aromatherapist swapped a career which saw her working at Buckingham Palace for starting her own business in Cumbria.

Tracey Lindsay, a clinical aromatherapist based in Oughterside, near Aspatria, is celebrating the first anniversary of her business Manor Barn Organics today.

Before setting up the business, she worked in construction, facilities management and health and safety including five years at Buckingham Palace, seven years at Kew Gardens and three years in Qatar where she ran audits on the living conditions of migrant workers building stadiums for the 2022 World Cup.

However, Tracey said she had always dreamed of starting her own business.

When she and husband Paul, who is originally from Cumbria, returned to the UK they decided to move to the county and do just that.

Tracey spent two years training with organic health and beauty brand Neal’s Yard as a clinical aromatherapist and now holds an accredited diploma in aromatherapy and essential oil science.

She is also a full member of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists, an associate member of the International Federation of Aromatherapists and is registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council.

As well as selling products such as inhaler sticks and organic bath salts online, she also offers workshops and aromatherapy massage treatments.

However, she has not been able to give workshops or treatments since March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Despite this, she said sales of her online products had continued to grow.

Tracey said: “The last few months have been really difficult for all business owners. I feel like someone pressed a big pause button and I’ve been chomping at the bit to get going again.

“I am so excited to launch the range of bath salts and see how the blends I’ve created can help even more people.

“Unfortunately I’m not able to start my treatments and workshops at the moment, but it’s giving me lots of time to develop the product range and I’m so excited to see where the business will go in the next 12 to 18 months.”