Island entrepreneur Stephanie Kelsey has revealed that a small amount of sand from the beach at Peel ’brought me luck’ in her successful appearance last night on the hit BBC1 show Dragons’ Den.

Millions of viewers saw the Ballakermeen-educated Manxwoman win the backing of two of the five Dragons after pitching her talc-free sand-removing powders.

After hearing Ms Kelsey’s note-free presentation, and trying the products in the Den, Sara Davies and Touker Suleyman were won over by her Beach Powder and Beach Powder Shimmer products.

Mother-of-two Ms Kelsey secured an investment of £60,000 from the two Dragons.

She originally asked for £60,000 for a 10% share in Beachpowder Limited but agreed to give up 49% of the business, in order to have the two Dragons on board, with both Dragons taking a 24.5% stake each.

Ms Kelsey told the Courier: ’I am originally from Peel and I think the beach at Peel is the best beach in the world.

’So each Dragon got a box with a lid that was placed on their tables before I arrived to face them. In each of their boxes was a carton of Beach Powder, some water so they could get their skin wet, some suncream and also there was some sand and just for luck I made sure the sand in their boxes was from Peel.’

’I needed to have some Peel sand with me to bring me luck - and it worked.’

But Ms Kelsey had to use builders’ sand in her mock-up of a beach scene used in her pitch to the Dragons. She explained that there are rules about taking large amounts of sand from beaches.

Last night’s presentation to the Dragons at the BBC studios in Salford was tough and she was before the cameras for around two hours. The final ’cut’ seen by viewers last night was only a small part of her interrogation and she was not allowed to use notes.

She said: ’I was so excited when Sara and Touker said they were going to make me an offer.’

Many contestants in the Den often ’walk over to speak to the wall’ to think over whether to accept an offer - but Ms Kelsey said she knew she did not have to do that.

She said: ’There were a few difficult moments in the Den when I thought I might leave empty-handed, even though I had some great comments.

’Peter Jones said it was an ingenious product - but I could tell how much Sara in particularly liked Beach Powder.

She added: ’Giving up so much of my business was hard but I think it’ll be worth it for the expertise and contacts that Sara and Touker will be able to share with me.’

Now that Ms Kelsey has secured involvement from the Dragons, she plans to focus on expanding her business in the USA.

She said: ’People are always amazed when I demonstrate how easily Beach Powder gets rid of sand so showcasing the products on TV shopping channels would be a great way to increase awareness and generate sales. Sara has lots of contacts and experience in shopping channels so I’m hoping she can help me move forward with that.’

The show was recorded last September and Ms Kelsey had to keep tightlipped about her appearance.

Last night she invited a few friends over to her Douglas home to watch the show which is normally watched by more than three million people.

She said her retired parents, Tony and Jill Quirk, who established the original L’Experience restaurant, were delighted for her.

Ms Kelsey told the Dragons the products are perfect for parents and for anyone who loves the beach but hates the sand.

Beach Powder and Beach Powder Shimmer are manufactured in the Isle of Man and packaged in recycled cardboard tubes which can easily be recycled.

Ms Kelsey said the island’s sandy beaches inspired her to develop the products.

She said: ’Getting rid of all the sand at the end of a trip to the beach was always the worst part of the day, especially because kids particularly seem to hate having to be rubbed with a towel or rinsed down with water.

’I realised that a powder that removes sand instantly would really help make lives easier and could become people’s beach bag must-have. And I also knew that I wanted my products to be eco-friendly.’

Before going away for filming last September in Manchester, Ms Kelsey practised her pitch on her daughters Graihagh and Breesha.