TWO RAF veterans from Swindon have eased back into civilian life by becoming self-employed handymen.

Nick Robinson from Highworth joined the Hire A Hubby franchise at the start of the year and Suneil Raval from West Swindon followed suit last month.

Suneil said: "I spent 33 years in the air force and left in 2014. It's been difficult to adjust to working in the civilian world.

"It takes some getting used to because I've got PTSD and am used to a well-ordered disciplined life rather than this dog-eat-dog world where a lot of people only care about themselves.

"After a couple of different jobs, I felt a bit lost and tried a course from charity Building Heroes which retrains veterans in property maintenance.

"Hire A Hubby was ideal with a lot of potential and I like feeling like part of the community but it's also been very challenging and a considerable financial investment.

"It's good to have Nick nearby because we can relate to each other and work together for the common good. Plus, we've both lost friends and colleagues which is always poignant at this time of year."

Nick said: "I was in the RAF for 22 years and when I came back to the UK, it was a big difference and it took me three years to settle back into Swindon life.

"I've done DIY for years so this was a good fit, and I like trying my hand at different skills because it keeps my brain ticking along.

"It's been very busy but I've enjoyed being my own boss and seeing my children grow up.

"Being part of Hire A Hubby is like having friends you can rely on around the area. Suneil's quite new so I've been giving him some of my jobs to help him get started."

Suneil and Nick each aim to be a 'one-stop shop' offering their services doing odd jobs and repair work around customers' houses that would usually require hiring a handful of different tradesmen.

The pair have worked on plumbing, carpentry, door and lock installation, painting, plastering, fencing, repairs tiling, and bathroom and kitchen renovations.

The Hire A Hubby franchise was founded in Australia more than 20 years ago and now has almost 30 franchisees operating around the UK.

Operations director Paul Doherty said: ""Similarly to the trend in Australia where the business emanated from, a greater proportion of the population don't possess the practical and trade type skills that they may have once used to.

"This, coupled with most of us being time-poor living busy lifestyles, has created increased demand for property maintenance and handyman services.

"With a hands on and solutions-orientated background, ex-military personnel have historically been an excellent fit for the business."