A personal trainer has built up one of the biggest CrossFit gyms in the UK in just three years.

David Draper, 36, followed his love of fitness to start his own business in Hove and retrained as a personal trainer.

In 2011 he opened CrossFit gym in Hove with just six members.

Mr Draper said: “After a few months of visiting I decided I wanted to open my own CrossFit box.

“So in the New Year of 2011 my business partner and I opened our first little unit, CrossFit Connect, a 700 square foot box in Brighton with six members. “We’ve now got over 5,200 square foot, 280 members and we’re one of the largest CrossFit boxes in the UK. “When we started we were one of the first boxes and now there are around 450 in the country.”

He added: “I’d highly recommend training as a personal trainer, it’s a great lifestyle, you still get to train yourself (in between seeing your clients) and you can be your own boss – that is the best feeling.”