A former funeral director says her passion for helping people inspired her to take on a new career in hypnotherapy.

Beverly Day worked for the family business, Ely Funeral Service, for 24 years before deciding in late 2013 that the time was right for a change.

She heard an advert on the radio for a hypnotherapy course and was persuaded to give it a try.

Nine months later, and with hours of lessons, essays and exams behind her, Mrs Day, 50, officially qualified as a hypnotherapist and launched her new venture, Beverly Day Hypnotherapy.

The mother-of-two said said: “My work as a funeral director involved helping and communicating with people at a very sensitive time in their lives and I found huge job satisfaction doing this.

“So I knew I wanted to do something involving people and helping them. Having not written any essays or sat through lessons for 20 years, I thought the hypnotherapy course was going to be hard work but I really enjoyed it. It took several months of practice but when it started to work it was a great feeling.

“Now, the job satisfaction is amazing, especially when people come up to you and say that it is working.”

Mrs Day said she has helped several clients to quit smoking and has also helped with weight loss.

Mrs Day is offering 25 per cent discount on bookings made before February 28. For more information, call 07933 191300 or e-mail bev.day@hotmail.co.uk