Former Royal Marine commando Kelvin Charles has taken quite a shine to his new career on civvy street – as a self-employed cleaner.

The 22-year-old’s dreams of a military future were shattered when Army bosses discharged him just three weeks after he started because of a chest infection.

But now the dad-of-three from Keighley has dusted off his disappointment to become his own boss with his new cleaning solutions venture.

Mr Charles, of Bracken Bank, got help from a free scheme which works with former service people wanting their own businesses.

He did his homework, put together a plan with a business advisor and has now got financial backing to get his own cards and fliers printed.

The former squaddie said that despite serving just a brief spell in Her Majesty’s Service, it was long enough for him to polish up on his spic and span skills.

“It was a real eye-opener,” he said.

“Things you think are clean just weren’t acceptable.

“A speck of dust would get you bawled at and your locker sent flying. Everything had to be absolutely perfect or else.

“Everything had to be spot on and cleaned to higher than high standards. It wasn’t just boots and buttons that had to shine, even the backs of wardrobes were checked for dust.”

He added: “I never thought that much about cleaning things up before I joined the Forces but now it brings alot of satisfaction, doing a good job is something to be proud of.”

It had taken Mr Charles a year to pass all the tests he needed to start the hardest military training in the world down in Devon on the Royal Marines base, but his hopes were scuppered when doctors treating his chest infection discovered he had once suffered an asthma attack as a child.

“I had not mentioned it earlier because it was a one-off,” he said.

“I never gave it any more thought, but once they heard about it they could not ignore it and I was discharged.

“They said I could appeal and do the training tests all over again but I decided to put it down to experience and put what I had learned from it into a completely new career.”

Mr Charles has now invested his military wage into setting up Charles Cleaning Solutions at charlescleaningsolutions.co.uk and is ready to clean up any competition.

He said: “I believe things happen for a reason, unfortunately the Marines didn’t work out for me but I am now on my way to setting up a great business with my wife Donna.”