Trained teacher, Emma Harris, had no idea how a birthday present would melt people's hearts and turn into a successful business for her.

The Sandbach mum had always loved wax melts and using her favourite fragrances to soothe away any stress and help her to relax in the bath.

But it wasn't until a friend bought her a wax-making kit from Hobby Craft that the talented businesswoman decided to have a go herself.

Now the enterprising woman has turned part of her garage in Radclyffe Close into a workroom for her thriving business – Made to Melt by Emma.

And fragrance wax melts are literally "flying off the shelves" in an array of fragrances from pink fizz and pomelo to peony and blush suede.

"I never realised how much fun it was. It's such a lovely business to have and it works well with my lifestyle and family commitments," said Emma, who launched the business in 2020.

"It's going so well and I am so pleased with how it is developing. There's room to expand and eventually my aim is to get into the wholesale side of business as well," said Emma.

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Emma has no shortage of ideas to tempt customers with the melts which can literally fill a room with fragrance and can be more cost effective than candles.

There are 18 core fragrances under six different categories from fruity fragrances to spa and laundry inspired.

A melt is placed in the top of a "burner" which is then melted with a tea light underneath to produce heat upwards.

The "spa" inspired range includes fragrances such as Seychelles while the "woody" fragrances include Himalayan cedar and jasmine and enchanted forest.

And Emma has even encompassed the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in the collection, by developing the Platinum Jubilee melt - celebrating the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

The jubilee fragrance is based on a traditional British dessert – Bakewell Tart, and has many 'notes' coming through from cherry, raspberry and strawberry puree sealed with fondant icing on a vanilla almond base.

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Jubilee fragrance

"It's the June fragrance of the month celebrating the Queen's 70 years on the throne," said Emma who hopes the business is here for many years to come.

The melts are available through the Made to Melt by Emma website https://www.madetomeltbyemma.co.uk/ but Emma also has a stall at Sandbach's Makers Market.

Emma also has plans to one day break into the wholesale market, so her products can be more widely available but for the time being, she's happy for local people to just wax lyrical about them.