A husband and wife from Sleaford, who gave up full-time careers and re-mortgaged their house to launch a franchise specialising in property lettings, have been crowned "Bronze Winners" in the 2006 British Franchise Association/HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards, sponsored by HSBC Bank and Express Newspapers.

Beating off stiff competition, Peter and Abigail Atkinson walked away with their Bronze trophy plus an HSBC cheque for ?2,000 at a glittering gala dinner held last night at Birmingham's Motorcycle Museum.

The prestigious bfa/HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards - the highlight of National Franchise Week (2-9 October)- were launched in April as a celebration of the best-performing franchisees in a booming industry worth an annual ?10 billion a year to the economy and which now employs over 360,000 people in the UK.

38-year old Peter and his wife gave up secure jobs and re-mortgaged their house to buy the franchise for Belvoir Sleaford, a property letting agency, in 2004.

It was a leap into the unknown, but within one year the enterprising couple had increased the number of properties from 54 to 140, tripled the business's income and and been named Belvoir's "New Franchisees of the Year".

After 10 years in the motor trade, working 60-hour weeks, Peter felt there should be more to life. Then he found himself selling a Mercedes to a Belvoir franchisee and the meeting changed his life.

With no experience of the lettings industry, Peter and Abigail faced a huge challenge when they took on the small franchise, but they identified Sleaford as a prime area for expansion and quickly took on board all the training and support offered by the Belvoir franchise network.

Enrolling on an intensive three-week course, they immediately applied what they had learnt to the business. They employed an experienced property manager, invested in new signage to create a stronger image for the company and took out a weekly full colour ad in the local newspaper. Peter's sales experience helped attract new clients and his energy and commitment have established a reputation for reliability that is driving the business forward.

The Atkinsons continue to capitalise on support offered by the franchisor to resolve IT problems, negotiate preferential insurance terms and get legal advice. Regular meetings with other franchisees also allows them to share new ideas and initiatives and discuss the way industry changes may impact on their business.

Now Peter is helping train new franchisees and introducing a system for creating video inventories on DVD, which he and his wife developed in their Peterborough branch.

By following the core values of a successful franchise, building on systems and processes that have been tried and tested over time, and adding in a good measure of enthusiasm, creativity and hard work, Peter and Abigail Atkinson have been able to expand a small franchise into a thriving business with plenty of potential for further growth.

The ambitious duo now have their sights set on having185 properties on their books by the end of this year, increasing to 257 in 2007 and 350 by the end of 2008.

The judging panel, chaired by President of the bfa, Sir Bernard Ingham, was looking for franchisees who could show how they have achieved "Success Through Support" - the theme for this year's Awards - by illustrating how their franchisor's support structure has been instrumental to their success.

Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank, said: "Judging these Awards is always a difficult task but we felt Belvoir demonstrated strong growth in quality business by following the system and working with the franchisor.

"The Atkinsons took a big gamble in giving up good jobs and remortgaging to start their own business and have worked hard to achieve success. We are delighted to recognise their efforts in these awards tonight."

Director General of the bfa, Brian Smart, added: "The franchise sector is home to some of the UK's most successful brands. These brands have been built on the fusion of a franchisor driven to build and support a network and franchisees who are committed to developing their own business.

"The awards recognise the very best franchisees and how their focus and drive, when supplemented by the support of a franchisor, grows sustainable, powerful businesses."

"Peter and Abigail are an inspiring example of such a partnership working at its very best - and we congratulate them on their win in the 2006 Awards."