JFS student Alex Trup has set up a successful lawnmower business, which is proving to be a cut about the rest. Alex, 17, runs lawnmower repair service Ashfield Lawn — born out of Alex’s “weird fascination” with the machines.

He tells People: “When I was younger I would go to B&Q with my dad and would want to look at the lawnmowers. Two years ago, my dad bought me a broken one and I spent time tinkering away at it and managed to get it going.”

At the age of 15, he landed his first customer and this year, the business became a registered company. His grandpa takes all the orders during the day and passes them on to Alex to deal with once he gets home from school. “It takes up a lot of my time but I am definitely enjoying it.” He has secured a contract with lawnmower manufacturers Mountfield, suppliers to B&Q.

“If someone’s lawnmower from B&Q breaks down and it is under warrantee, then it might be me that fixes it.” As for the future, the plan is to set up company premises and to diversify into fixing other products.