'I gave up being a chef to become a blacksmith'

Ben Cooper used to be a chef, but now runs the Great Oak Forge in Sandbach, Cheshire

A former chef who changed careers to become a blacksmith has said he has never been busier.

Ben Cooper runs the Great Oak Forge in Sandbach, Cheshire, and has been a blacksmith for almost a decade.

It could be considered a dying art, as there are fewer than 500 trainees looking to take up the profession according to national charity Heritage Crafts.

But Mr Cooper - who makes gates, railings, sculptures and garden structures – said there was plenty of demand for experience days.

"I discovered blacksmithing by accident," he said.

"I started doing it and it was the right thing for me to do so I took an impulsive decision and completely changed careers."

He said it was a "huge gamble" but that it felt like the right thing to do.

"For us it's on an upward trajectory all the time," he said in response to those who describe it as a dying trade.

Experience days helped connect people with the craft, he said, and added another aspect to the business.

Apprentice blacksmith Ethan Lewis, 23, previously trained as a builder but was inspired after attending one of the experience days.

"As soon as I had my first go of it [I thought] this was it, this is amazing," he said.

"You just kind of forget about everything and hyper-focus on this one thing and then at the end of it you've got something amazing."

Apprentice blacksmith Ethan Lewis previously trained as a builder but was inspired after attending an experience day