AN unemployed man from Pontypool has set up his own gardening and window cleaning business thanks to support from Jobcentre Plus project Want2Work.

Kevin Williams, 46, set up Cut-n-Clean in December 2008 after his phone company employer was forced to lay off staff because of the recession.

Instead of looking at the move negatively, Mr WIlliams found a silver lining.

He said: "Once you've been stuck in a factory environment for more than 28 years, the need to get out there and do something different was actually a blessing in disguise."

Mr WIlliams had always wanted to run his own business and helped family and friends with their gardens as a hobby.

After becoming unemployed he was referred to the Want2Work project which helped him take his ideas forward.

Cut-n-Clean opened for business just before Christmas and proved an instant success with Mr Williams gardening and cleaning windows.

He is hoping to be in a position to employ other people in 18 months.