STARTING up your own business is a formidable prospect - especially when you are 17-years-old and registered blind.

Andrew Phillips, of Neyland, was diagnosed blind at the age of three. He left Ysgol Preseli with GCSEs in English, Welsh, science, technology, mathematics and IT and an NVQ qualification in engineering.

But, when it came to finding a job, the bilingual youngster could not find an employer both willing and financially able to make the health and safety adjustments necessary to take on a blind employee.

Andrew was determined not to continue living off disability allowance and decided to capitalise on his interest in motor vehicles to set up his own removals company - Mr Shift It - in September last year.

Financial and moral support from his parents Brenda and Nigel and a start-up grant from Pembrokeshire Action Team got the company going.

Andrew runs the administrative side of the business, carries out vehicle maintenance and helps with lifting, while his father and his brother Adrian do the driving - the only part of the job Andrew's disability prevents him from doing.

He started with one van. Less than a year later, his company has leased an additional van and continues to hire larger vehicles as needed.

Regular work includes house removals, rubbish clearances, deliveries for Howdens Joinery and a contract for e-bay deliveries along the M4. Jobs take the team everywhere from Southampton to Scotland.

His dream is to own a fleet of vans and lorries and the progress Andrew has made towards this has been recognised with a £2,000 grant from Pembrokeshire Lottery.

He is also due to make an appearance on BBC's Business Lunch later in the year.

He may be registered blind, but his success over the last eight months show Andrew Phillips is a young man with vision.