A FORMER soldier and steelworker has proven his mettle after fighting back to open his own authentic Jamaican restaurant.

Mark Hill had overcome the adversity of being shot in action while serving in Iraq to become a steelworker but in 2015 he was one of more than 2,000 people to lose their job when SSI closed down its Redcar operations.

Now the 38-year-old Jamaican-born cook is determined to serve up a treat in his Middlesbrough restaurant and takeaway – Irie Jerk.

With the support of the SSI Task Force, which was set up to help redundant workers get back on their feet, Mr Hill will be tickling the taste buds of customers to his business on Parliament Road.

He said: “I’m originally from Kingston in Jamaica, where the cooking skills and recipes are handed down by generations. I was very close to my grandmother, who taught me how to do it.

“At Irie Jerk, I want to give people an experience. We have just changed the menu, and spiced it up a bit, but I want to emphasise that it isn’t overly spicy. There’s something here for everyone to try.”

The father-of-two, who lives in Redcar with his partner Vanessa Robinson and sons Jaiden and Julian, was determined to overcome the latest setback in his life when he lost his job as a production operator.

“It was a really hard time,” he said. “This was supposed to be a career for life, and I had only worked there for four years.

“After SSI, I was really fed up. I had already lost what I thought would be two life-long careers and thought to myself, why even bother getting a job if I’m just going to lose it again? That’s why I decided to set up my own business, so I could do something for myself.”

Serving up authentic best sellers including curry goat, jerk chicken and ackee with salt fish, he is delighted to be sharing a taste of his homeland.

“For me, cooking is definitely the easy part,” he said. “I’m passionate and proud of my culture, so it gives me a buzz when people try Jamaican and Caribbean food for the first time and tell me they enjoy it, that’s what I love the most.”