AN Essex mum has seen her future transformed after appearing on a popular TV show and being given £250,000 to kickstart her business.

Ocean Chapman, from Braintree, swapped her two-bed Braintree flat for a luxurious Essex mansion when appearing on Channel 5’s Rich House, Poor House.

The show follows two families from opposite ends of the financial spectrum and class divide, who swap homes, budgets and social status for seven days to discover how the other half lives.

Ocean and daughter Oziana, nine, were living in Chelmsford, in the £6million holiday home of entrepreneur Barrie Drewitt-Barlow.

The house boasts an underfloor aquarium, huge living room, lounge-bar and swimming pool, with chef, chauffeur and house manager on call 24/7.

Braintree and Witham Times: Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and partner Scott outside their Essex holiday homeBarrie Drewitt-Barlow and partner Scott outside their Essex holiday home (Image: Channel 5)

Ocean, who works part-time in a bar, has about £60 a week to live off.

On the show, she said: “I’m constantly paying money out, getting it back, and then being helped and paying it back again.

“So, it’s like one big cycle and you can’t get yourself out of the rut of it.”

On her not being able to treat daughter Oziana, she said: “It’s gotten so hard you like feel bad, every time we go in places, I always have to say no, and I just want that chance where I can tell her yes for once.”

Ocean, alongside best friend and Oziana’s godmother Chloe, had a great week during the swap.

The first shock came being picked up in a Rolls-Royce, before being taken to the incredible holiday home.

The family were greeted by the house manager and chef and enjoyed a week in the life of luxury, using a whopping £5,000 weekly budget.

Braintree and Witham Times: Get rich quick - Ocean and Chloe with their new £5k-per-week budgetGet rich quick - Ocean and Chloe with their new £5k-per-week budget (Image: Channel 5)

However, it was at the end of the show the single mum was given a wonderful surprise.

Barrie and fiancé Scott handed Ocean a huge £250,000 to kickstart her dream of a baby food business.

Emotional at the gift, she said: “I was not thinking this experience was going to change my life in the long run.

“I am so shocked they want to invest their time and money into me, I am so excited.”

Ocean, alongside Chloe and new business partners, Barrie and Scott, enjoyed a party at the Lounge Bar in Braintree at the weekend.