THE owner of a Dorset home cleaning company attended a business conference the Prime Minister was also a guest of.

Sam Acton, who launched Domestic Angels in 2002, visited the capital for the first Home Based Business Conference last week.

The company now employs 20 people in the Bournemouth area.

During the summit, which took place at Somerset House, visitors heard from a range of speakers, including Jon Steinberg of Google, Matt Doris of Etsy.com, Kiki Loizou of The Sunday Times and MP Matthew Hancock, among others.

David Cameron also made an appearance at the event.

Sam said: “I now provide employment for people whilst they look after many more in their own homes, allowing our clients to live the lives of their choosing.

“This makes my business, and many other home based businesses (HBB), as sophisticated as one that is office based, and therefore deserving of recognition at local, national and European policy making levels.

“It’s refreshing to discover that the government is now including HBBs in its long-term economic plan with a focus to make it easier for start-up HBBs with the law firmly on their side.

“Finally we have some recognition that HBBs are no longer being born out of necessity or as a passing hobby. HBBs are a response to the new opportunities given to us by technological evolution and our in-built British entrepreneurial DNA.”

Business Minister Matthew Hancock said: “It’s this spirit of personal endeavour and self-determination that is driving our economic recovery.

“But home businesses don’t just fire up the economic engines and create jobs, they turn dormitory towns into living communities, they keep our streets safer, and by driving down car emissions, cleaner too.”