A family is hoping its new business venture will get a warm reception.

Sam Blackwell and wife Holly registered Earls-Colne based Farmhouse Fuels in May and started trading in August.

“Business is steady at the moment,” Mr Blackwell, 34, said.

“After Ashby and Sons, based in Wakes Colne, closed down, there was nowhere local you could get coal from.

“They had been trading for about 50 years but didn’t have an online presence which we have.

“We offer a friendly, reliable service which gives value for money.

“We are family run too which always seems to do well around here.

“Holly works in the office and our two children Joseph, five, and three-year-old Florence, will help put a log in the back of the van and enjoy coming with me on deliveries although we aren’t going for child labour!”

Mr Blackwell, who was one of the heroes who saved three cats from a house fire in Earls Colne in May last year, already owns tree surgery business, Tree Top Surgery.

He uses logs from the trees chopped down in the local area to sell as kindling and firewood.

The coal is sourced from a company in the north from mines across the UK, including in Wales.