VANILLA Blush, the Glasgow-based firm that has developed lingerie and swimwear for people who have had operations like colostomies, has won £50,000 under the government’s Scottish EDGE awards programme.

Nicola Dames, who founded Vanilla Blush after having life-saving bowel surgery, said the company would use the funding to employ two more people to help support expansion. It employs 10 currently.

Sixteen firms judged to have high growth potential received £820,000 total funding in the latest round of the Scottish EDGE awards. Oban-based Otaq, which has developed a seal deterrent system for fish farms, was awarded £100,000.

Ayrshire serial entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter said: “The winners at Scottish Edge are the job creators of today. We need to invest in them and nurture them in any way we can to build our economy and to provide the quality jobs our people deserve.”