Tracey Cunningham to open florist shop at Ketteringham Hall

Tracey Cunningham, from Cringleford, will open Vintage Rose Flowers on the grounds of the Ketteringham Hall estate later this year.

The 52-year-old mother and grandmother spent 10 years in and out of hospital with a series of "uncontrollable" ulcerative colitis flare-ups, chronic pancreatitis and the discovery of pre-cancerous cells in the lining of her womb.

Tracey Cunningham, 52, spent around a decade in and out of hospital (Image: Tracey Cunningham)

During her recovery, floristry became a source of comfort as it reminded Ms Cunningham of her childhood and brought "peace and tranquillity" to her "very busy, overactive mind".

"My Dad was a nurseryman and worked the fields from the age of 15 to when he passed away at 63," she recalled.

"He mostly tended to roses and our front garden border was made up of rose after rose.

Ms Cunningham's father worked as a nurseryman for almost 50 years (Image: Tracey Cunningham)

"I would pick them and arrange them in empty jars for people or I would mix the petals with water to make a perfume.

"That's where my passion was born and now floristry is a connection to my dad and my childhood."

Ms Cunningham decided to return to college and earn a level three BTEC qualification to work full-time in the industry.

She has now recovered and is happy to be achieving her goal (Image: Tracey Cunningham)

She has chosen the name Vintage Rose Flowers as a nod to the 1970s and those days smelling the roses with her father.

Ms Cunningham said she loves being a florist because "flowers can say things that words sometimes cannot" and she enjoys seeing the joy on the recipients' faces when they are handed a beautiful arrangement.

Vintage Rose Flowers will be set in a purpose-built lodge at Ketteringham Hall near Hethersett.

She hopes to get the keys in September and will be ready to open in the autumn.