A BURNLEY plumber has taken the plunge into the world of ceramic art.

Daniel Bridge, 32, has opened his first exhibition at Towneley Hall and is hoping a new career could be in the pipeline.

And Daniel is shaping a brighter future after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Former St Theodore's High pupil Daniel said: “I did art A-Levels and studied it an university in Cardiff.

"It was something I was passionate about. I really enjoyed it and got good grades in it.

“After I came back to Burnley from uni I stopped doing it as I had no money left.

“But a couple of years ago I decided to get back into it. I had a house now and it was something I really wanted to do.”

Daniel, who studied art at Nelson and Colne College and then did a plumbing course at Burnley College, decided to knock down the garage at his home in Pike Hill and convert it into a studio.

He said: “Just before I finished the studio I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

"I’d been getting aches and pains in my neck and my thumb started twitching so I went to the doctors and had it diagnosed.

“My inspiration comes from taking the positives out of it. People my age don’t really know about Parkinson's disease and I wanted to put in my art.

“I leave bulges in the pots that come from sudden loss of control of my limbs.”

Daniel now works as a plumber during the week but has given it up at weekends to focus on his art.

He added: “I’ve got into a bit of debt over it, but hopefully it will soon start paying for itself.

“It’s something I love doing and I would love to do it full time.”