Terry Mallan (54) started running Far-awayART from his garden shed four years ago, creating reproduction prints on canvas.

Today, he has built the business up to an enterprise boasting an annual turnover of £80,000, poised to take on its second member of staff and operating from a converted barn in Broadway, Yaxley, near Peterborough.

But during that time, the former printer has suffered eight heart attacks and undergone a triple heart bypass operation.

He said: "There have been some hard times along the way.

"Ensuring sufficient cash flow has been a worry at times, but I am enjoying it. It is nice that we are doing it for ourselves.

"I particularly like it when we hand over a completed job to a customer and get that 'wow' of appreciation."

Mr Mallan has come a long way since starting out on his business venture in the summer of 2004, while he was also working full time as a printer.

He said: "I began by importing original prints from the Dominican Republic after a holiday there and wrapping them on to stretch frames.

"They proved very popular and people wanted them reproducing in various sizes.

"This led to my doing personal canvasses, posters and exhibitions graphics. I also print on mugs, T-shirts, caps and mousemats."

He explained: "It became quite hard work doing this and a full-time job at the same time, so I decided to concentrate on the business.

"I'm fortunate that i was able to take on Annette Coles, who has 20 years' experience in the print trade. And I am now at the point where I'm working about 15 hours a day and I'm looking to take on someone else.

"Business is really good. It is starting to motor."

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