Andy West is in the final of the prestigious Barclays Trading Places Awards for the second year in a row.

If the miniature teddy bear creator from Horsham wins he could take home prize money worth £13,000.

Andy, 48, of Norfolk Road, said: "I am just so honoured and a bit humbled as well.

"I was actually nominated by customers - to think my work is actually appreciated!

"I'm on cloud nine at the moment."

A glittering black tie ceremony awaits Andy in London on October 7 where he will join dozens of business people who have triumphed in the face of adversity.

Andy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia in 2001.

These painful and debilitating illnesses affected movement in his limbs confining him to a wheel chair.

His physiotherapist suggested he take up sewing to keep his hands supple.

At the same time he met an international teddy bear artist who gave him his first bear pattern.

A therapeutic hobby soon turned into a real talent for design.

So when Andy was forced into a wheelchair and out of his job as a social worker, he launched Westie Bears.

Each bear ranges from the traditional to the wild and wacky.

They take about eight hours to make and today they are so popular Andy is unable to keep up with demand.

As the business continues to grow, Andy has taken on one outworker, with his family also lending a helping hand.

Westie Bears now sells through its own website, selected shops throughout the UK and specialist fairs.

Sales are rocketing both in the UK and beyond, with an expanding customer base in the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia Denmark and Japan.

Andy has already won British Teddy Bear Artist of the Year (miniatures) and has plans to keep building his business, start a collector's club, run more workshops, start a teddy bear spa and develop new ranges.

He has written his first children's book called The Adventures of Teddy Tum Tum.

It tells the story of a bear who has seen better days and who nobody loves.

But the bear then finds someone to look after him and goes on to have many adventures.

Andy hopes to publish the book in Teddy Club International magazine to test the water before he looks for a publisher.

He already writes a column for the magazine about his life which has raised his profile - it has also raised the celebrity of his cat Dodo, as Andy explains.

"I get fan mail and also for my cat," he grins.

"So now the cat gets his own fan mail and little presents through the post."

Although Andy still faces the same health problems, he says that his quality of life has increased immeasurably.

The business gives him and his family financial security and, above all, the West household is once more full of laughter.

Awards judge John Davis said: "The Trading Places Awards honour unsung heroes who, in spite of disadvantages or personal challenges, have taken steps to grow their own sustainable business and in doing so have transformed their prospects for the better.

"The calibre of this year's entries is really outstanding and we hope that with this recognition, Westie Bears will continue on the road to success.

"We also hope Andy's story will inspire other budding entrepreneurs in the southern region, who face similar difficulties in there private lives to come forward and turn their own business dreams into reality."

Supporters of the awards include the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, The National Federation of Enterprise Agencies and Microsoft.

The judging panel will be made up of Big Issue founder John BIrd, business editor of the Sun Ian King, Sophie Beesley of The Prince's Trust and Julian Price of Microsoft.

The panel will go on to select the ten national finalists who will attend the glittering gala dinner in London at the Marriott Hotel on Grosvenor Square.

These winners will each be awarded £1,100 worth of desktop software by Microsoft.

The winner will receive a further £2,300 worth of Microsoft server software.

In addition the winner and runner-up, to be announced on the night, will receive £10,000 and £5,000 respectively, courtesy of Barclays.

The awards recognise men and women who have overcome various barriers and battled against the odds to positively change their lives by setting up in business.

For more information visit http://www.westiebears.co.uk.