A Sussex landscaping business has been shortlisted for a prize which had more than 17,000 applicants.

Conscious Landscape, in Lewes, was founded in 2016 by Elliot Aguirre and William Maurice Oldfield.

The duo had a shared wish to restore and regenerate landscapes through “bespoke designs that celebrate the beauty of nature”.

Their small team is made up of landscape designers, restorers and regenerators.

The prize, known as the Business Boost, is designed to give one UK small business a helping hand in the face of wider economic challenges including the cost of living crisis.

Elliot and Will applied for the £25,000 cash grant in the hopes of offering reduced rates to the farming community to help them understand and implement landscape changes for nature.

The winner will be chosen by an expert panel including Baroness Karren Brady CBE and the winner of BBC’s The Apprentice 2022 Harpreet Kaur.

Alan Thomas, chief executive of Simply Business, the company which runs the competition, said: “With 17,000 entries this year, we were moved and inspired by the stories we received from all across Britain – stories that show resilience, innovation, and a pioneering spirit run throughout the self-employed community.”

The winner will be announced on Thursday, December 7.