A County Durham man has turned his football memorabilia hobby into a thriving global business.

Jack Adams, from Wynyard near Stockton-on-Tees, has turned his hobby for collecting rare and obscure football shirts into an online business.

The 30-year-old's business has shipped vintage shirts out to countries across the globe through his company, Footballshirtsjack, including Malaysia, South Korea, Germany, France, South American and Chile as well as the UK.

With this success, Mr Adams has moved his business, which he launched during the pandemic, to a workshop and office unit in UKSE’s Innovation Centre at Hartlepool.

Read more: Cassop Primary School forced to close after heating failures

Speaking on how he turned his hobby into a thriving business, Mr Adams said: “I was between jobs and staying with family in Dubai when Covid struck.

“As I was stuck there for a while I decided to start developing a website to turn my hobby into a business and am very pleased with the way it is going.”

Meanwhile, Mr Adams' business specialises in sourcing rare shirts and selling them, having recently sold a "rare" Juventus shirt for £200.

He said shirts can vary in price from £30 to hundreds of pounds, and includes shirts from international teams, Premier League clubs, and European teams.

Other shirts sold by his business have included a rare Brazil 1986-1988 home shirt and a South African Premier League shirt.

“Collectors can simply be fans of a particular team but others are influenced to collect by popular culture or artists that they follow" he added

"Obviously the World Cup has given us a big boost.  

“Demand grows every month and being at the Innovation Centre with the workshop and office space we now need is a big help.

"The facilities are great and the UKSE team is so supportive.  My father and uncle are both helping out and we may need even more space soon.”

Read more: Cocker spaniel rescued from cliff ledge in Chopwell Woods

The business sources shirts from suppliers in Holland and Germany, and sells online through its website, Depop, Instagram and Ebay.

Joan Cook, workspace manager for UKSE, said:  “We are pleased we could help Jack settle into the office and workshop space he now needs.

"UKSE Innovation Centres are designed to support new and growing businesses and Jack has got off to a great start with his venture.”

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here