TWELVE years ago, Ian Glastonbury was serving his country on the front line in Kosovo and Bosnia.

Today he says he's more happy working with bees and has set up own beehive making business - GlastonBees Hives and Woodcrafts.

It's a long way from his army days as a tank driver with 1st The Queens Dragoon Guards.

Mr Glastonbury, 30, from Cwmbran, said: "During my time in the Army, there were lots of occasions spent using tanks and weapons which caused destruction to the environment. However I always seemed to find the time to appreciate the scenery and wildlife. I knew then that lifestyle was not for me." After leaving the army in 2002, Mr Glastonbury found work as a community development worker and set up a community garden group.

He said this was a catalyst for him wanting to work with nature.

"I had gone from a destructor of the environment to a protector and it felt so amazing," he said.

Mr Glastonbury started to grow his own food at home, kept chickens and honey bees.

He went on a bee keeping course and said it was this that had him hooked.

Mr Glastonbury got his own colony of honey bees which he said had a "calming effect" on him.

The entrepreneur was made redundant in March last year and said this gave him the push he needed to start his own business.

Mr Glastonbury received a £3,500 grant from charity UnLtd which he used to buy tools.

UnLtd also provided him with advice, support and contacts.

Mr Glastonbury makes the bee hives, which are about to go on sale, using locally sourced Western Red Cedar.

This is taken to a local saw mill and dried and after four to five weeks is ready to be made into the hives at his workshop.

The hives range in price from £175 to £200.

Mr Glastonbury wants to get more people interested in bee keeping and hopes to expand his business in the future by giving talks and presentations to people about it.

For more information, email glastonbees@gmail.com