The female boss of a plumbing business based in Dorset has voiced her desire to see more women enter into the male-dominated trade.

Sophie Morris, who runs the Poole franchise of ‘Your Plumber’, said that she only ever receives job applications from men and would love to see more women choose plumbing as a career path.

“Every time we recruit, we have no women that apply,” Ms Morris told the Bournemouth Echo. She went on state her argument for doing so: “The reason [they should consider plumbing] is because I get quite a good response from people, especially customers, when I go and quote jobs. They find it refreshing that they haven’t got a lad there.

“They feel more comfortable. I don’t know why women think they can’t be plumbers. I think there needs to be a bit more encouragement to get women into it,” she added.

Ms Morris said that it was never too late to try out a new profession, adding that she herself worked as a bank manager up until six years ago, when she wanted a change and went to work with her brother who ran the Bournemouth headquarters of the ‘Your Plumber’ franchise operation.

She then took numerous plumbing courses to improve her knowledge of the business before taking the plunge and setting up her own franchise three years ago. She now leaves the work to fully-qualified plumber David Tongs and apprentice Matthew Brocklehurst, while she prices and manages the jobs they do.

“I think it’s such a rewarding job," added Ms Morris.