AN entrepreneur, who was out of work for five years, has started up his own business couriering pets to and from Europe.

Chris Connell gave up a career in the Army to look after his wife, who suffers from asthma.

Frustrated by his failure to get back in to employment, the ex-Green Howard decided to take matters into his own hands.

Mr Connell formed Europet Courier, a service transporting animals from anywhere in the UK to any destination on the continent.

He developed the company with the help of business support network Inbiz.

The 50-year-old from Stockton, said: "It was very depressing being out of work so long and to be honest I thought I was on the scrap heap.

"I needed something which would allow me to work a lot from home so I could look after my wife and it was very difficult to find anything like that. So starting my own business has been the perfect solution."

Mr Connell said the idea was prompted by European legislation, which had lead to a relaxation of the quarantine laws in recent years.

It is now possible for animals to travel within Europe and their owners can apply for pet passports.

However, taking animals on airlines remains very expensive and only a few carriers provide the service.

Mr Connell said: "I saw there was a gap in the market I could fill and decided to go for it."

This is the only business of its kind in England and there is only one other pet courier service in the UK, in Fort William, Scotland.

Europet has been helped by business support group Inbiz, which provided advice and facilities from its offices in Stockton to the fledgling firm.

Mr Connell said the company, which has its own website, was already taking orders from pet owners for travel dates next year.

"I've never done anything like this before so I'm feeling my way along," he said. "But I've had so much help and I'm really determined it will be a success."