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A subscription box service for rabbits and guinea pigs that was launched by its founder who had just £200 in her bank account has recorded turnover of £1.5m after orders surged during Covid.

Bunnies That Lunch and Jessica McCarthy have had a superb 12 months, with orders for the service sending selected toys and treats to pet owners soaring since the start of last year - sometimes by as much as 50% month-on-month.

Last year, Ms McCarthy was awarded Start-Up Entrepreneur of the Year in the North West at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards and she said since then, the customer base has grown rapidly, with the firm now exporting across the globe.

The Manchester-based business was founded in 2017 after she noticed the popularity of cat and dog subscription boxes, and decided there was a gap in the market for a service for smaller animal owners.

So with just £200 to her name, she took the risk and launched her business. She said that the business has gone on to surpass all expectations.

The firm has over 125,000 Instagram followers and exports across the world, with almost 60% of its customers based in the US.

Ms McCarthy said: “Since winning the award, we’ve gone from strength to strength.

"We had our biggest Christmas ever, more than doubling the previous year. Our Instagram account has rocketed and that’s really helped us reach new customers.