A BURNLEY cobbler who wanted to hand over his operation to someone who needed a new lease of life today revealed nobody had come forward.

Ken Redman, 64, appealed in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph when he and wife Rosemary decided to retire from their business in Briercliffe Road.

He especially wanted someone who had been made redundant to follow in his footsteps, as he originally bought the shoe repair businesses with his redundancy money more than 20 years ago.

He wanted to offer a new lease of life to someone in the same way the business changed his life after he lost his job as a wood machiner at Nelson's G Plan Furniture at the age of 43.

Ken hoped his successor would buy the business, which includes accommodation of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge, dining room and kitchen for £69,950 and offered to teach the new owner the trade.

But despite the plea, Ken and Rosemary, 59, who helps out with the business, have not found a suitable person.

Rosemary said: "We can't believe it. Nobody seems to want to learn the trade.

"We're really disappointed because everybody who comes in says it would be a shame if the shop closes."

In his initial appeal ,Ken said he was concerned the special skills of traditional cobblers were dying out to be replaced by modern but less effective mass manufacturing as colleges no longer taught the subject.

"The only way to learn the trade is from someone like me," he said.

Anyone interested in taking over the business or wanting to find out more should call Ken or Rosemary on 01282 411405.