BEING diagnosed with bowel cancer was a wake-up call for an Ebbw Vale baker – she had to follow her dreams.

After going through chemotherapy and surgery, Deborah Love decided to set up a café and cake shop in Ebbw Vale four years ago - Love’s Cakes, in Bethcar Street.

Ms Love, 44, said: “While I was recovering, I decided I wanted to follow my dreams.

“I have been making celebration cakes since I was 16-years-old.

“I always wanted to have a cake shop, and the cancer was a wake-up call.”

Ms Love said her favourite part of having a cake shop is seeing people’s faces when they see the cake.

She said: “I absolutely love baking and there’s nothing better that seeing the reaction of a customer when they come to pick up their cake for a special occasion. It is magical.”

The Ebbw Vale baker - who has been operating a successful café and cake shop in the town for almost four years - is currently expanding her repertoire to cater for the needs of her sweet-toothed customers.

After spending her days juggling her cakes and trying to keep up with the demands of a high street café, she has decided it’s time to focus on her passion.

“So I’ve decided to step back from the café trade and concentrate on the cake side of the business in order to keep with the demand,” she said.

Love’s Cakes will now offer a new range of services from children’s parties and baby showers to outside catering with her team Kristia Harvey and Tania Burgess.

The company will be able to throw a children’s party at its town centre premises which will include decorations, buffet, party bags and cake decorating for the guests, as well as a birthday cake for the lucky birthday boy or girl.

She said: “In cake decorating parties, we decorate the room in a theme and then we teach them how to make the cupcakes.”

Ms Love said that unicorns are a very popular theme at the moment and that her favourite cake is chocolate cake.

For those looking to throw a bigger bash, Love’s Cakes will also hold parties at outside venues as well as cater for any corporate or family functions.

But Ms Love is not abandoning her café customers, instead she will be opening a cupcake bar at her current premises, where people can come and meet up and sample her delicious cakes with a tea, coffee or her hot chocolate.

“I would never want to shut up shop all together to the public, I love having people come in and have a chat. So I thought a cupcake bar would give me the scope to concentrate on the baking side of the business as well as offering a high street presence for my customers,” said Ms Love.

For further details contact Love’s Cakes on 01495 651741 email lovecakes32@gmail.com and follow the business on facebook Love cakes limited.

The cupcake bar is open from Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday 10am-1pm.