FOUR years ago single mum Heather Mortimer was selling men's underwear at the Barras market in Glasgow.

FOUR years ago single mum Heather Mortimer was selling men's underwear at the Barras market in Glasgow.

Now she's a high-flying property investor with a £1million portfolio.

And she has just taken her business from her kitchen table to her own shop.

Heather, 43, from the city's Baillieston, puts her success down to: "Hard work, determination and a lot of help."

She was inspired to turn her life around after losing her brother, Thomas, 37, six years ago. The dad-of-two collapsed and died from a heart attack after attending an Old Firm match.

Heather was just getting over it when mum Mary, 67, was diagnosed with cancer and died 18 months ago. It led to a bout of depression for Heather.

She knew she had to get her life back on track for her kids Nathan, 11, and Liam, nine, so she started N&L Properties.

Heather bought her first rental property in Baillieston with a £6000 loan for a deposit four years ago.

Now she has 17 which she rents out across the East End. Her aim is to have 100.

The rent covers the mortgages she has taken out and provides an income.

She said: "It was the shock of losing my brother that made me get up and do something. It was a difficult time after Thomas because I was trying to keep the family together and then my mum got cancer."

"I realised I had to do something more positive to pull me out the dark side of life. My job was not secure and I had no other form of income.

"I purchased my first flat with no idea what I was doing and put the wrong mortgage in place. Six months later I rented it out.

"It's given me the security I need for the kids and I can still be a mother."

Heather learned about the business by going to a seminar run by Property Investment Training firm Whitney UK. At the same time she was working as a market trader on a family stall at the Barras.

Being an entrepreneur runs in the family.

Heather's uncle is nightclub king James Mortimer whose firm Lynett Leisure owns Victoria's and 29 in Royal Exchange Square.

She now wants to encourage other single mums to take the leap like she did.

She said: "You can do it if you are determined. You can create the job. It's not rocket science, it's just knowing the right techniques.

"My dad says I would have made my mum and my brother's dreams come true."