A SALTCOATS businesswoman is flying high after being praised in parliament for her success at a national awards ceremony.

Former air hostess Bernadette MacKenzie saw her venture, Ayrshire's Wee Fish Van, crowned Micro Business of the Year at the 2022 Scottish Women's Awards in October.

READ MORE: Ayrshire's Wee Fish Van wins 'Micro Business of the Year' at 2022 Scottish Women's Awards

A motion to congratulate the business owner was lodged at Holyrood on November 11 by Cunninghame North MSP Kenneth Gibson.

In a letter addressed to Bernadette, he said: "It is great to see that a family-owned business from my constituency won the award, which is why I lodged a congratulatory motion in the Scottish Parliament.

"i wish you every success in the continued growth of the business."

Inlcuded in the letter was also a list of other MSPs who signed the motion - with cross-party support coming from SNP, Conservative and Labour members.

Bernadette expressed her delight with the praise from Holyrood when she shared her success on social media.

She said: "Well ladies and gentlemen what can I say... The Scottish Parliament has given me recognition on my Ayrshire's Wee Fish Van business.

"What an achievement and feeling very proud to be recognised as a hard working, fantastic public service we supply to my wonderful customers, regulars and new customers.

"Thank you all again, without your continued support this would not have been possible."

Bernadette started the business almost exactly two years ago, during lockdown, after she took her redundancy from British Airways, where she had been a long-haul air stewardess for over 20 years.

She used her redundancy money to by her van and thanks in part to her now husband Douglas MacKenzie, who is a trawlerman on fishing boats - Ayrshire's Wee Fish Van was born.

Bernadette's iconic fish van can be seen "tooting around" the Three Towns and wider Ayrshire on a regular basis.

For more information, check out 'Ayrshire's Wee Fish Van' on Facebook.