Paul Hughes is building a business based on one of the most despised of all domestic chores.

He has taken out a franchise for cleaning ovens.

Paul said: "Next to scrubbing the toilet, surveys show people most hate cleaning their oven."

He is now covering Colchester and the surrounding areas as the franchise holder for Ovenu, a national organisation with franchises across the country.

Paul, who has spent 30 years working in the public sector, said: "I wanted a completely fresh start, but I wanted to continue working outside with people."

He works from a van and dismantles ovens on the spot, cleans them with environmentally-friendly materials and puts them together again as good as new.

It takes between two and four hours and he charges £49.50 a time.

Paul is already looking to the future.

"If things go as planned, I hope to expand beyond Colchester," he said.

"The fact is that no matter where you live, people hate cleaning ovens."

Published Wednesday February 2, 2005

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette