A COMPANY boss has revealed how a brain tumour forced him to change career and set up a training firm which is now celebrating ten years in business.

Former Met Police firearms officer and Carl Bennett was forced into retirement after a life-saving operation which left him unable to walk or sit up in a chair aged 41.

Mr Bennett, now chief executive of Trade Skills 4U, said: “My first thought was to feel sorry for myself, just curl up and say ‘Why me?’

“But for my kids and wife I had to tell myself to pull myself together.”

Combining his experience training police officers in high-pressure situations, an appreciation of good tradespeople, a small pension lump sum and the help of his wife, he started Trade Skills 4U in Crawley.

Mr Bennett said: “I had many sleepless nights and new business money worries but we got through.”

Trade Skills 4U offers training to small electrical contractor companies or associated trades businesses.

It originally started out delivering courses in tiling, bricklaying, plastering and more but in 2008 focused on electrical courses.

Mr Bennett said: “Sparkies often say to me, ‘How can you own the most successful electrical training business in the UK – you’re not even a sparky.’

“It’s precisely because I'm not a sparky that I do. I’m not technically smart enough to work in electrics. I'm an organiser, an educator, a facilitator. I've built a team of the best experts available.”

Based on the Manor Royal Estate in Crawley, since launching in 2005 the company has moved and grown three times, but never more than a few hundred yards from its original site.

To celebrate ten years in business, Trade Skills 4U is giving away a Vauxhall Combo van.

All customers who book a course before May 31 will be entered into a prize draw to win the van worth nearly £17,000.

In June three finalists will be drawn out of a hat.

The finalists have to compete in a game of giant buzzwire where whoever completes the challenge the quickest or gets the furthest wins the van, with the runners-up getting prizes for their efforts.

For more details, visit tradeskills4u.co.uk.