What a difference a month has made to Jeanette Battye, the winner of our bumper £1.500 make-over competition. Pampered and polished from head to toe, she says she feels like a new woman. HILARIE STELFOX reports

IN THE last month Jeanette Battye has done something that most busy working mums rarely do - she’s taken time out for herself.

And in that time she has been shamelessly pampered by the staff at the Vanilla hair and beauty salon in Aspley.

The winner of our make-over competition, who was nominated by her husband, has had eight facials, four hair appointments and exercised away her cellulite. Her eyebrows have been re-shaped; her eyelashes lengthened and at the end of the it all she was given a glamorous St Tropez spray tan.

To complete her month-long make-over Jeanette was also booked in for a one-hour Brite Smile tooth whitening treatment at the Marsh Dental Care practice.

Then we took her to Kitten Heels, the bijou boutique in Byram Street, which is also home to bag and handmade fashion label Jolaby, where she chose clothes and accessories to model.

Part of her prize was a bag and a pair of designer shoes from the shop.

Jeanette, 40, who lives in Netherton, was chosen by our judges after her husband Steve wrote in to tell us how she had seen him through the most difficult year of his life from 2006 to 2007.

Steve underwent major heart surgery after suddenly discovering, at the age of only 38, that he had a defective heart valve.

During his convalescence he then learned that he was being made redundant from his job as a project manager for a building company.

Nominating Jeanette for the make-over he said that he wanted to thank her for her selfless devotion - and apologise for not being a good patient. “I was tired, grumpy and frustrated a lot of the time,’’ he said.

“When I look back she had quite a lot to deal with as I was fighting my own battles and I didn’t realise how much support she was giving me,’’ Steve added.

At the same time as caring for Steve, Jeanette was kept busy looking after the couple’s two young daughters, Katie,10, and Emily, five. Jeanette also has a son, Brent, 20, and older daughter Tara, 20.

Jeanette’s life revolves around children. She works at Netherton Pre-School Playgroup and is a before and after-school childminder. In her spare time she is a Brown Owl and is also studying for childcare qualifications.

Winning the make-over was, she says, “fantastic.’’

“I have enjoyed every minute. It’s been so lovely and relaxing to have the time to myself.’’