MEET one of Bolton's champion ironers . . . Lynda Trousedale dashes away with her steam iron for between seven and eight hours a day, four to five days a week. And, what's more, she enjoys it.

"There is nothing I don't like ironing - I just get on with it," she says.

Chorley-born Lynda and her husband Darren, both 30, run the Smartie Pants Ironing and Laundry Service in Rivington House, off Chorley New Road, Horwich.

Darren works as a food processor at night and collects/delivers laundry before he starts.

The business has been going for about two years and there is now the possibility that they might take on part-time help.

Lynda, a mother of two, worked in hospital laundries in Chorley for 11 years, but had to leave when her first son, three-year-old Liam, was born with a disability and needed a lot of care.

Three months later Darren was made redundant from his job at the time and the couple found themselves on income support.

After finding it hard to find full-time permanent work they went for advice at the Quest Centre in Halliwell.

They discussed the possibility of starting an ironing service and later decided that the Horwich area would be suitable.

Further advice followed at Bolton Enterprise Centre and the couple spent 12 weeks taking courses which included business set-up, accounts, tax and advertising.

After 18 months working from home they heard that a food processing company's laundry contract was due to expire.

They secured it after finding the finance to adapt and equip their current premises - with a lot of hard work - to the required standard.

There are also more than 40 domestic and commercial ironing customers.

"One or two people have told me I must be mad to do all this ironing," Lynda said.

"But neither of us could get a job at the time and it has taken off quite well."

And yes, Darren does get to do the ironing at home sometimes.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.