She has survived a showdown with Sir Alan Sugar himself and now a former Wendron schoolgirl has made it as one of the last ten competitors fighting to become "The Apprentice".

Over the last five weeks Naomi Lay has battled it out in a series of tasks, watched by millions of viewers on BBC1's hit TV show The Apprentice, in a bid to win a job working for Sir Alan.

So far she has sold coffee around Islington, dressed as a monkey to sell sweets at London Zoo and in the latest episode turned art dealer to sell photograph artwork to London's high society.

In week three, Naomi was given the job of project manager - her toughest role yet, which saw her having to manage her group through the tricky task of being given £200 and ordered to make more money from it, by setting up a daytime and an evening business, while at the same time control bickering team members.

Writing on her website, Naomi - often referred to as Nay - said of the task: "I think Margaret Sir Alan's aid encapsulated the day when she said we started off well and ended well but the middle was a major glitch. I admit I made mistakes but it's tough to make sensible decisions when you've got a 'knife' in your back and a constant 'buzzing' in your ear."

Her team lost the task and as project manager Naomi was automatically one of the three participants who were called back before Sir Alan, to explain why they should not be "fired" from the programme. Fortunately she escaped to fight another week and three weeks on she is still going strong.

Watching nervously through their fingertips have been Naomi's family, who are delighted that she has reached this stage.

Her father Stephen said: "It was tense. We were all on the edge of our chairs and we were almost 100 per cent sure she was going to be out - but obviously she survived. In the boardroom she very much kept her dignity and didn't enter into the bickering. We're very proud."

Mr Lay said that the family knew Naomi to be a "very hard worker" but were more used to seeing the relaxed and fun side of her.

"What we're seeing now is somebody we really don't know - we're seeing her in the work environment," he added.

Naomi has been inundated with messages of support from Cornwall and around the world, from Australia to Armenia. Comments have been posted on Naomi's own website and a club set up on the internet social site Facebook, under the name "Nay to win Apprentice," now has 157 members.

Naomi is unable to speak directly to the media, but speaking on her behalf Mr Lay said: "On her behalf she would like to thank everybody in Cornwall who has been supporting her and encouraging her. It's great."

Another anxious wait follows tonight as Naomi takes part in task six - to sell food at a French market.

Not even the participants know who will ultimately win the show - a certain number of episodes have been filmed in advance and are currently being shown, with the final yet to take place.