Caring for the elderly is a £200 million industry in Sussex according to one of the country's leading experts on the subject, Sue Brand, a director of the Hove-based Pembroke Group.

It runs three hotels in Hove specialising in caring for the retired.

With a total of 36 residents and a staff of 20, the quality of service is seen as an example to others.

Sue, who is chair of the Brighton and Hove branch of the national Care Home Association, opened the first hotel in the Pembroke Group more than 30 years ago and has gone on to build a national reputation with her training schemes for better care of the elderly.

Among her proudest achievements is instigating a system of star rating for care homes as it gives owners targets to aim at and standards to maintain.

She said: "Our residents range in age from 60 to 97 and when they stay with us they enjoy a hotel-style service.

"Since I started working with retired people, I've striven to create an industry we can be proud of."