ANYONE who has tried to hire a tradesman in the past few years will be quite aware of the problem.

Finding plumbers, electricians or anyone from a multitude of building trades is no easy task in East Lancashire or elsewhere in the country, especially if the job to be done is unusual or complex.

The reason, we are told, is that today's youngsters are more interested in chasing careers in computers and tackling subjects like media studies than getting themselves dirty learning to lay bricks or work with wood.

As a result, there is a big shortage of people with such skills and those who do have them know they can charge a lot more as a result - and are unlikely to be without work for the foreseeable future.

And while some might feel it is a pity that Natalie Arthur found life as a police community support officer boring and unsatisfying - because such work is extremely useful - few will disagree with her common sense in being retrained as a plasterer.

It is surprising, however, that despite the march of equality for women, Natalie is the North West region's only female plasterer.

Hopefully her decision will also tempt others to move into trades where there is a real skills shortage.