ADRENALIN-FUELLED adventures come in various guises.

Some prefer exhilarating speed, its potent mix of shock and excitement jolting the senses.

For Andrew Ellis, however, that same buzz resonates from more tranquil settings.

The 48-year-old is a keen salmon fisherman and uses the time on the river to relax from his day job.

Mr Ellis is managing partner at Sanderson Weatherall, an independent practice of chartered surveyors and property consultants, which has teams in Stockton, Newcastle and York, and employs about 200 workers across the country.

The company works on a number of disciplines, including building consultancy, planning, and plant and machinery valuation and sales, with Mr Ellis offering specialist advice to clients on landlord and tenant matters, valuations, and consultancy issues.

With nearly 25 years experience at the company, he says he still gets the same satisfaction from helping others and concluding deals, a feeling only matched by the enjoyment of a day's fishing.

He said: “It is true downtime for me, and it's magic.

“I only get about six days a year though, with work and spending time with my children, who sometimes run me ragged.

“The River Tweed is the most wonderful place, and the salmon is such a bizarre creature, it is fantastic fun and a real passion to fish for them.

“One of the most exhilarating parts is going earlier in year, between February and April, when you catch a springer salmon.

“They've been out at sea fighting the currents and dodging the seals, and they are just all muscle, a bright silver bar in the water, and catching one of them makes it all worthwhile.

“But you don't have to catch anything sometimes, and even when we do we throw them back, it's just about the enjoyment of the day.

“I go with work colleagues and the enthusiasm is infectious, just being out in the boat is enough.”

Mr Ellis was helped on his career path by a family friend and property developer, who advised him to qualify as a chartered surveyor, a move he has never regretted.

He said: “I really wanted to do what he did, he was building houses and it was great to see things coming out of the ground.

“But he told me to do my qualifications to become a chartered surveyor because I would never drop below a certain level once I did, and it was the best piece of advice I ever received.”

With the construction industry showing signs of improvement, coupled with companies beginning to become increasingly confident after their recessionary difficulties, Mr Ellis says Sanderson are also feeling better in the marketplace.

He said: “It was difficult, but there is the feeling that we are coming out of the recession, with enquiries up and people seeming to have more confidence.

“People are almost bored with the recession and want to do something, but we cannot make the market, only service the people in it.

“But it is nice to see that enthusiasm, and to keep the core of our team and the full range of services across the whole of the region is testament to everyone.

“Our teams in Stockton, Newcastle and York are brilliant, they are very experienced, highly professional and offering a full range of services.

“There have been some difficulties though, and some people had have to leave, which is saddening, but to maintain the teams, and their important knowledge of the clients and properties has been fantastic.”

Favourite North-East building and why? The Fishing Hut at South Wark, on the south side of the Tweed. It’s an absolutely magical place for a salmon fisherman like myself.

What was your first job and how much did you get paid? I was a milkman, earning £2 per morning, two mornings a week while I was at school. It’s the best time of the day.

What is the worst job you've had? Collecting pools money.

What would you cook for me if I came around for dinner? A Thai Green Curry. It’s my speciality, albeit from a very limited repertoire.

What would your superpower be? Flight. It would be a very convenient way to commute and go from place to place for work.

Name four people, dead or alive, who would be at your perfect dinner party I grew up in Doncaster, so Kevin Keegan, another lad from the town, would be there.

I’d also have Eddie Gray, who is my footballing hero, Kiera Knightley, just to wind my wife up, and my granddad, Joseph Booth, who died before I was two.

I was the only one of his grandchildren he met.

Most expensive thing you've bought - other than car or house - and how much? My wife’s engagement ring. I couldn’t possibly answer the second part of the question albeit she does know I negotiated a deal.

Who is the best person to follow on Twitter and why? I don’t follow Twitter much, but I always keep an eye on the Sanderson Weatherall Twitter account.

It helps, over and above the meetings and conversations I have with colleagues, to keep abreast of things within our offices.

Favourite book? Anything by John Grisham, particularly the early ones, such as A Time To Kill.

When did you last cry? When my kids were born. The youngest is seven.

What is your greatest achievement? I think that’s for other people to answer, but if I had to pick something it would be the last five years in business, to come out of the recession with a multi-disciplinary property practice in reasonable shape and with a fantastic long serving team in place is pleasing.

What's the best piece of advice in business you've ever been given? Years ago, I was very friendly with a property developer who built lots of houses.

I fancied doing what he did, but he advised me to go and get qualified as a chartered surveyor, that there is plenty of time to do other things, and that I would never drop below a certain level once I was qualified.

He was right.

Favourite animal and why? The North Atlantic salmon. It’s a fabulous creature that we still know very little about.

Most famous person on your mobile phone? I don’t believe there is anybody famous on my mobile phone.

I have plenty of clients who are wealthy, but that’s about as close to famous as they come.

What was the last band you saw live? I play in a six-a-side football team called Bish Bash Boshers FC and one of our players, Neil Wood, is a fantastic Elvis tribute act.

Describe your perfect night in A curry with my wife, the football team and their wives.

In another life I would be... A gillie, which is the boatman when you go fishing.

Who would play you in a film of your life? We all want to say George Clooney, but the truth is it’s more likely to be Berwick Kaler, from Sunderland, who does the pantomime in York every year.

What irritates you? Struggling to find suitable answers for questions I had never before had to consider.

What's your secret talent? It's probably due to a lack of talent but I’m a chopper of a centre-half.

While Eddie Gray is my all-time hero, because he could really play, after that it would be Norman 'bites your legs' Hunter.

As a company, we recently sold his medals and other memorabilia at auction.