AN which started to ease the boredom of lockdown has become a full-time business for one enterprising mum.

Jessica Waltham works in recruitment by day.

But the 25-year-old was determined not to sit around in lockdown, starting a sweet business which soon went viral.

Not the Woolston mum and her family have opened shake bar Jessie's in Warrington town centre.

Former Birchwood High School student Jessica explains the whirlwind of the past few months.

"During the pandemic I just wasn’t used to doing nothing all day every day as I have worked continuously since I was 12 years old," she said.

"One Saturday, bored in lockdown I went out on a whim and went off to the wholesaler, bought some sweets and created ‘the box of dreams’.

"My partner Ashley thought I was crazy! A few days later our box of dreams went viral.

"Orders were flying In, I couldn’t believe the response we got!

Warrington Guardian:

"The first few months some nights I would be making boxes until 4am or 5am and delivering them around Warrington. I was taken aback by how many people were sending surprise boxes to loved ones they were missing during lockdown."

But as the online business went from strength to strength, the family decided to take it to the next level.

They got a shop on Town Hill in the town centre selling shakes, sweets and waffles.

Jessica's partner Ashley Abernathy left his job to run the shop with her.

Jessica added: "Coming from a huge family, I am so lucky that we can be a family run business. I’ve been able to work alongside my mum, partner and siblings.

"Being a mother of two myself I wanted to try and create a place that was really child friendly, where you could take your kids and not be judged for them being over excited or touching the glass and I really feel that is what we have created.

"I could never have done this without the support of Warrington during the pandemic and it’s thanks to my loyal customers that we are where we are now. I think it’s pretty amazing that we created a business during a pandemic and I have big things to come.

Jessica, who is mum to Piper and Summer, says her determination came from hard work in a big family from a young age.

She added: "I don’t believe you get anywhere in life without hard work.

"People would laugh when I was working four jobs in high school, missing out on events. But I knew if I was going to better myself I would have to work for it. I even worked on a dairy farm for two years at 13 years old.

"My jobs from 12 included four paper rounds each morning, Saturday I worked in a barbers, went straight to a dairy farm, Sunday I would work in my grandma's florist and week nights I would work in a chip shop.

The shop is open from 5pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, Saturday from 12pm to 10pm and Sundays from 4pm to 10pm