BEAUTICIANS from a Bushey salon are hoping to end a troublesome year and celebrate the business's third anniversary by scooping a national award on Monday.

Epitome Health and Beauty salon, on High Road, Bushey Heath is one of four salons across the country, and the only one in the south of England, to reach the final of the Best Beauty Salon in the Professional Beauty Awards 2007.

Despite the fact that Epitome has just five permanent staff, it has been nominated in the category of salons with four or more treatment rooms, pitting it against the biggest studios in the country.

The achievement is even more remarkable due to the fact that the owner of the salon, Rebecca Lane, has been unwell for over a year, and consequently was unable to work for much of the time.

Rebecca became unwell in September 2005 and was later diagnosed as suffering from Lyme disease, an illness that affects the nervous system, after she was bitten by a tick.

"I was really, really poorly," Rebecca said. "I had been unwell from about September and things just kind of went from bad to worse.

"It affected everything and I was taken really ill in February and had a week in hospital, then came out and then had another two weeks after that."

Rebecca was off work for much of last year, spending almost four weeks in Watford General and Barnet hospitals, but is delighted her staff have been rewarded for the extra work they put in during that time.

"I actually thought, I'm not going to enter the competition this year because I just didn't feel well enough to do it, but because the staff had worked so hard I felt the girls needed to get the recognition they deserved.

"I'm really lucky because most of the girls who work for me were here from the beginning and it was just great for me that the business was being looked after so well."

Rebecca, together with all the beauticians from the salon, will travel by limousine to the Docklands' Excel centre on Monday night for an elaborate awards ceremony when the winner of the award will be announced.

"It's cheaper than getting a taxi," admitted Rebecca.

"The party frocks have all been bought and it would be fabulous to win because I've had such a difficult year and the girls have all worked so hard.

"It think we deserve to win."