TWO men, who grew up in Durrington and trained as vehicle technicians in Amesbury, have set up their own garage business in Tidworth.

Richard Swaffield and Danny Cavanagh, who have known one another for more than 20 years and still live in Durrington, have taken over the former Sovereign Garage in Pennings Road and named it Tidworth Autocentre.

Mr Swaffield (30) and Mr Cavanagh (28) began their careers in the motor trade as apprentice vehicle technicians at the former Pitts Garage in Amesbury.

They became fully skilled technicians and then service managers for branches of Olympian Renault.

But while working successfully as service managers, the opportunity arose for them to set up their own business in Tidworth.

The Pennings Road site had a large workshop for MoT testing and servicing of, and repairs to, cars and light commercial vehicles, they explained.

Mr Cavanagh said: "We have gained confidence in our ability and decided we could run a business ourselves. We expected it to be a struggle, but we are surprised at how well it is going."

Mr Cavanagh said he and Mr Swaffield, who employ four staff and hope to take on another technician towards the end of the year, planned to open a further site when the opportunity arose.

Mr Swaffield added that while they were working in Salisbury, they supported the motor industry charity Ben by doing a sponsored parachute jump at Netheravon, raising £500.

"After completing the course and jump we became hooked on the sport," he said.

"We have since carried out nearly 100 skydives each in Florida, Spain and Germany, as well as at Netheravon."