THE man behind the team bringing a new shine to Bradford's city centre streets has spoken of how he has built up his firm - and reputation - from scratch.

Tony Beddoes set up AB Jetting in 2013 and more recently has been earning praise for his work in the city under contract to the Business Improvement District (BID).

Thousands of people have taken to social media to watch his videos of long-neglected pavements and stone setts being transformed by his unique method of hot steam washing and high-pressure chewing gum removal.

“It’s been really gratifying to see so much positive reaction to the work we’ve done,” said Tony.

“It’s almost as satisfying as the work itself. I never tire of seeing an area brought back to life, with the years of grime and dirt, as well as algae and mould, being washed away and the colour and beauty of old stone and modern slabs re-emerging.

“And people really seem to love the difference it makes.”

Based in Oakworth, the former Oakbank School pupil spent six years learning the ropes and researching environmental cleaning.

“I know all about methods of cleaning, what types of chemical to use, how trees, moss, algae, mould and the environment generally can affect buildings and walkways and how to remove them safely without damage to structures, people, plants or animals.

“I know how to handle everything from modern render to ancient stone and everything in between.”

“I’m not in this to build a huge cleaning empire and set up franchises across the country: I want to keep the business small enough for me to take a personal interest in every job and to be known as the guy whose team will do a high-quality, reliable job,” he added.

The former soldier’s attention to detail has led to him devising his own safe cleaning solutions and even designing and specifying his own equipment.

“There are expensive cleaning machines on the market but none of them are as flexible as mine,” he said. “I worked with our engineering guy to build a machine that can do everything we need it to do and allows us to clean with everything from really hot steam to very gentle pressure to ensure we get the best results without causing any damage to fragile materials.”

The range of work he is now able to undertake includes domestic services such as driveway, patio and roof cleaning, render washing and drain clearance to industrial and commercial tasks such as cladding cleaning, chewing gum and graffiti removal, window frame restoration and sandblasting.

As well as cleaning Bradford's streets, Tony has undertaken work at HMP New Hall in Wakefield, cleaning up prison yards and pathways, at height cleaning tower blocks and underwater cleaning the hulls of ships.