'I've basically been mugged!' Apprentice finalist Bianca Miller 'accused of stealing hosiery idea from law graduate she met at networking event'

She is just one task away from a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar, who praised her business plan in Wednesday night's semi-final when five candidates were reduced to just two.

However the businessman has since been urged to fire finalist Bianca Miller, after she reportedly got her tights idea from a disabled law graduate.

Ella Bennett, 37, claims she came up with the proposal - to sell hosiery for different skin-tones - four years ago before meeting the 25-year-old at an Ebony Inspired networking event in early 2013.

'100 per cent': Lord Sugar has been urged to fire finalist Bianca Miller (pictured), after she reportedly stole her tights idea from a disabled law graduate

The 37-year-old told the Mirror.co.uk on Sunday: 'No way should Lord Sugar hire Bianca. He should fire her - 100%.

'I am devastated. I feel cheated out of my dreams. After putting in so much hard work and effort it feels like I've basically been mugged.'

Croydon-born Bianca, who is only said to have met Ella once, will go head-to-head with Mark Wright in Sunday night's final, after beating off competition from rivals Roisin Hogan, Daniel Lassman and Solomon Akhtar.

Stolen? Ella Bennett, 37, claims she came up with the proposal to sell hosiery for different skin-tones, not Bianca (pictured in Sunday's final)

Bianca and Mark go head to head in The Apprentice final

But Bianca's spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Bianca came up with the idea in 2010 and has been developing it since then. She knows she is not the first, and nor will she be the last, to come up with this idea and views any other brands providing a similar product as healthy competition.'

The businesswoman, who founded the Be Group in 2012, will call upon the likes of Katie Bulmer-Cooke, Lauren Riley, Daniel Lassman and Felipe Alviar-Baquero to help her win.

The determined star recently spoke out about her surprise at how quickly the other Apprentice candidates give up on their business plans after being fired.

Speaking to BANG Showbiz, she said: 'I think it's shocking. I think to admit straight away, 'Oh, yeah, it was a great plan Lord Sugar when I was going to use your money, but now I have to do it myself, no I'm not doing it!' That to me shows that maybe you weren't here for the right reasons.'

Head-to-head: The 25-year-old, pictured with fellow finalist Mark Wright, at an Ebony Inspired networking event in early 2013

 

 

From five to two! Croydon-born Bianca has beaten off competition from rivals Roisin Hogan, Daniel Lassman and Solomon Akhtar

Bianca also vowed that she would never strip off to boost sales, commenting: 'I think it's a shame - you should apply for the right reasons, that you want to go into business... I would not do a photoshoot', she told the Sunday Mirror. 

The news comes on the same day that The Sun alleged that last year's Apprentice winner Leah Totton had suffered losses of £49,684 in her first year of business.

The doctor, who opened a cosmetic surgery in London with backing from the 67-year-old, however is said to claimed the loss was expected.

#TeamBianca: The star took to her Twitter page last week to drum up support for two charities 

Will he listen? The 37-year-old told the Mirror.co.uk on Sunday: 'No way should Lord Sugar hire Bianca. He should fire her - 100%'