A MOTHER has a moving story to tell whenever anyone asks what she does for a living.

Rachel Walker believes she is one of the UK's few female removal van drivers and thinks nothing of lugging furniture with her male colleagues - including her boyfriend, James.

The 31-year-old tried office work but could not get used to being surrounded by four walls.

So she packed up a job in computers and took to a life on the open road, driving trucks in Holland before joining A and G Removals of Melmerby, near Ripon, North Yorkshire.

"I blame my dad," she said. "I understand I used to travel in my carrycot in his farm wagon.

"It doesn't bother me how busy it is - even the centre of London holds no fear as I just don't get stressed by traffic."

Rachel's children seem likely to carry on what is becoming a family trend. Alistair, ten, and Jennifer, nine, are both just as mad on trucks.

"The job is so varied and scenery so different," said Rachel.

"Last week, we took a stand to the Chelsea Flower Show but we also do complete house removals and a lot of shipping to Australia and New Zealand, which means taking containers to the ports."

Rachel and James will be working together on their next trip - a run to Cadiz with a van-load of furniture.