BUSINESSMAN Stephen Render masterminded the construction of a West Indian cricket ground -- from from the living room of his bungalow in Darwen!

Stephen, of SJC Consultants, bowled over the Caribbean competition to win the contract to organise electrical equipment and labour for the new test ground in St Lucia.

The ground, which can seat several thousand spectators and is set among rocky hills, opened two weeks ago, and has since hosted a New Zealand v West Indies match.

India's cricket team also played there a couple of months ago to test the wicket.

SJC Consultants has a million-pound-a-year turnover from work in the Caribbean and is based at the bungalow in Priory Drive, Darwen.

Stephen's living room doubles as an office, although an extension is currently being added on the bungalow for more 'executive' surroundings.

Susie Chatburn, 38, who Stephen describes as his partner in "business and life", helps run the company. The couple also live in the bungalow.

Stephen, 49, said he set up the company six years ago to supply equipment as a sideline to an existing consultancy company he owned. SJC has since swallowed up the other company.

A contact told him about a work going to tender on St Lucia's airport and SJC won the first of many jobs on the island.

He said: "When we won our first contract we went over and told the company that they didn't need a lot of things that were in the plans.

"We were competing against two other St Lucian companies that didn't bother to drive 20 miles to look at the site.

"We took the trouble to advise them and it has gone on from there."

Word spread around the island of SJC and more jobs on the island came in. A multi-story car park, work on the governor's residence, the prime minister's residence and a prison followed.

Stephen, who flies out to St Lucia up to five times a year for two or three weeks, has plans to spread his business out into neighbouring places like Trinidad and St Vincent.

He said: "We are so busy with work in St Lucia that we don't do any work in this country. I couldn't go out there for a holiday because someone would say 'come here and have a look at this!'

Stephen said SJC received copies of the plans for buildings and organised equipment and labour for the construction.

THE OFFICE: Stephen Render and his partner Susie Chatburn run their million- pound business from the living room of their bungalow

CARIBBEAN CRICKET: Set among St Lucia's rocky hills, the new ground has hosted a match between the West Indies and New Zealand since it opened two weeks ago