Those who are considering enrolling on a plumbing training course in the near future might be inspired by the tale of one football fan, who is taking on a new challenge despite the economic downturn.

Experienced drainage technician Peter Cordwell, who enjoys nothing more than watching his son play football in his spare time, will be developing the Watford franchise of Drain Doctor Plumbing in a bid to start out on his own.

The father of five said that, having looked at a number of franchise businesses, he felt that Drain Doctor - which is a full member of the British Franchise Association - offered the best approach to support and customer service.

"As a franchisee, I will be running my own business, but with the back-up of a national organisation that will help to ensure we can deliver on our promises," he stated.

He added that he is looking forward to developing his own business in a service-based industry which is relatively "recession proof".