A BUSINESSMAN who spent nine years scrubbing Berkshire ovens has decided to hand over his gloves.

Rik Hellewell has cleaned more than 4,000 ovens since he set up Ovenu in 1994.

But now he is leaving the scrubbing to others because he wants to focus on expanding across the UK and beyond.

He said: "I have enjoyed taking a hands-on approach to the business.

"But the time has finally come when I have decided to hand over my home territory so I can focus on the whole franchisee network and developing the business further.

"I am delighted to be leaving the ovens of Berkshire in such capable hands."

Mr Hellewell turned his Barkham Drive

company into a franchising business four

years ago.

Since then it has created 80 outlets

across the country, five of which are in

Berkshire.