Student goes from stables to start-up garage

It was the pandemic as well as her dad - who died in 2022 - that inspired Storm Rogers-Davies to take on a new challenge as a car mechanic

When the Covid pandemic shattered her studies in horse care, Storm Rogers-Davies said discovering a new path was a "sliding doors" moment.

Back in 2020, the "very practical course" was swapped for online lessons due to the outbreak, making her want to ditch it altogether.

Storm then got work on the assembly line of Toyota's factory in South Derbyshire - after getting a taste for working on cars from her dad Simon, who inspired her passion prior to his death in 2022.

The 24-year-old, who now runs a business servicing cars from her home, said: "When an engine light comes up on my car, I now know what I'm doing, compared to five years ago when I knew nothing."

Storm studied horse care at Broomfield College in Ilkeston until the Covid outbreak in 2020

Reminiscing how it all started, Storm said as a child she used to sit by the living room window, watching her dad work on cars.

"In particular his Renault 5 Turbo, that was one of my favourites," she added.

Her dad worked as an electrician on the London Underground but would also help friends fix their cars.

A few years went by and he let his daughter help with his work.

Storm, from Mackworth in Derby, said: "I would say I was fascinated with how parts of a car are put together and to me it looked like a jigsaw puzzle.

"Let's say putting brakes on a car, you have to follow certain steps the same as you would a jigsaw.

"When I left Toyota I thought I want to learn more and see how far I can take this."

Storm with her dad Simon, who sparked her love of cars and engines

Storm then enrolled on a level two light vehicle maintenance and repair course at Derby College.

After completing the next level of the course, she went on to setting up her own business - Platinum Garage - where she is servicing cars from her home.

Her training also came into play when her uncle Donald called her after he got a puncture on the A38, that she went out to and fixed.

"I still watch horse racing and I see the big change I have made, but I am proud of the change because it is going to help people in the future," she added.

Storm said her dad would be surprised and also "more than proud" of her career change.

"I feel like my future is much much clearer now compared to when I left school," she said.

The Renault 5 Turbo that Storm watched her dad work on as she grew up

Storm's college tutor, Paul Eatherington, said her passion for cars had "certainly helped" her get through the course.

"It's always a big step to make a career change," Paul said.

"I was a mechanic for 20 years and it was very nerve-wracking for me to go into teaching because I didn't know if I would enjoy it, but I've never looked back.

"I think as long as you change careers for something you enjoy, you won't look back either."