But his luck changed for the better four years ago when he embarked on a move into self employment and invested in a ChipsAway franchise.

He said: “I always wanted to run my own business, but being cautious by nature, I was worried about taking a risk.

However, I recognised that franchising offered the safest route to self employment, so I set about identifying franchise opportunities that were well established and had a track record of success.”

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His research led him to automotive paintwork repair specialists ChipsAway International, and after attending one of their franchise open days, he went on to launched his own franchise in 2006.

He exceeded his initial projections within the first three months, and after six months, was achieving an income that was on a par with that of his previous management role in IT.

Mr Catchpole added: “Being made redundant hit me like a ton of bricks, but my ChipsAway franchise has given me my life back and restored my self belief.”

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