The government’s boiler scrappage scheme has boosted Blazes’ enquiries by 1,000%.

The scheme, which was announced in Alistair Darling’s pre-budget report at the end of last year and launched on 5 January, aimed to encourage the estimated 4.5 million households with G-rated boilers to replace them with A-rated boilers that emit less carbon.

The response from the public has been so enthusiastic that the Energy Savings Trust, which oversees the scheme, has struggled to clear the backlog of applications. In the first month alone, around 40,000 people applied for the £400 cash-back vouchers, snapping up a third of the 125,000 available.

Steve Bate took on a Blazes home maintenance franchise in October 2009 as a bolt-on to his existing business.

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From Ludlow & Tenbury Wells Advertiser: A Tenbury woman is joining the growing ranks of young mums going into business.

Jennifer Fish, aged 35, is putting her design skills to good use with her Activ Web Design business.

Working from home means that Jennifer can balance running a successful business with looking after her two young children, who are aged just four and six, and she also has a 16-year-old stepson.

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