AFTER a decade of late nights and shift work at Nissan's Wearside factory and with plans to start a family, David Anderson decided to become his own boss.

Now, Mr Anderson's plumbing business is doing so well that it is looking to expand.

His first step was to use his pay-off when made redundant by Nissan in August last year to enrol on a full-time course in plumbing in Rotherham.

Mr Anderson, from Washington, Wearside, said: "When I left Nissan, I really wanted to get a trade so I could have a good job to support my new family. I decided to qualify in plumbing because it was something for which I already knew the basics.

"I recently got married and my first child is due in November so being my own boss is great to fit around family life and I really didn't want to be doing shift work when the baby was born and miss all the important things."

The business works primarily in the Sunderland and Washington area and deals with installations and maintenance.

He now has plans for expansion, setting up a website and considering branching out into solar heating work abroad.

Mr Anderson's business has been helped by Social Enterprise Sunderland, which provides start-up advice.

Paul Wilkinson, business start-up worker at the organisation, said: "David really knows his trade and has completed all the relevant training. He has a sound business plan and is already doing well in his local area and has even started sub-contracting on larger jobs with other established companies."