No one is more surprised than him as he expected to spend the first six months of running his own business ‘scratching around for work and struggling to make ends meet’.

He said: “After the launch I was booked solid for three weeks and the phone just kept on ringing. I really hadn’t expected business to take off so quickly.”

Initially Mr Fidge had looked at business-to-business franchises that matched his experience and background, but found many of them overly complex and lacking a clear means of earning an income.

By contrast, he said, Ovenclean offered a straightforward business model and an established brand name.

"They seemed to have the best package and a huge potential marketplace. And it was clear to see how I could make money doing a job that so many people hate to do themselves,” he explained, adding that since taking on the franchise he also enjoys a better lifestyle and tremendous job satisfaction.