A Forres based business is helping the north of Scotland improve its national profile and representation by gaining wider coverage on national radio.

With help from HIE Moray, radio programme production company, Firecrest Productions Ltd has seen business flourish since it started trading around a year ago.

Moira Hickey who runs the business says: "I see it as the job of Firecrest to report the stories which represent this part of the world and sell them wherever there is an audience - and that means the English-speaking world with an interest in Scotland.

"There is real demand for good material, but it is expensive for many radio stations to send their own staff to cover a story or produce radio programmes in remoter areas like the north of Scotland."

Moira who has 10 years experience of working with BBC Radio makes life easier and cheaper for radio producers, by basing herself in the Highlands which she believes deserves more representation and which has a very rich source of stories with national and international appeal.

Some of her recent commissions have come directly from editors at BBC Radio 4 in London and Birmingham. They include a programme on the UK's smallest radio station - Two Lochs Radio in Gairloch, to a piece on the inventor of the cashpoint who lives near Tain in Ross-shire. Locally, programmes about fresh water pearl mussels in the River Spey and following the River Findhorn from end to end have also been featured.

Moira invested around £6,000 in the latest high-tech equipment to allow her to record, edit and produce finished radio programmes to studio standard from her home in Forres. This included the purchase of a digital recording machine, editing software and microphones.

She also received valuable advice and funding in the form of a business start up grant that was paid monthly from HIE Moray to start the business.

Development officer at HIE Moray Keira Simpson said: "We are delighted Moira's business is flourishing. She has created a real niche for herself as well as giving the area more radio air time across the UK. She has combined her technical skills, contacts and a clear affinity with the area to impressive effect and by using our free business advisory service, has started the business on a firm footing."

For further information about the range of business start up services available through HIE Moray contact 01309 696000.