STEPHEN Scurlock and Grant Haworth aren’t just business partners – they are also the best of friends.

They studied joinery at college together, were employed in the same business and now, after both trying their hand as sole traders, have come together in a new venture.

S&H Maintenance on Centurion Park in Blackburn was set up in 2015 to provide building maintenance services and has slowly grown so that, as well as Stephen and Grant, there is now a team of six, including electricians and an apprentice joiner.

The business has also moved into a unit twice the size of its original one.

But the partners have their sights set on further expansion and hope that reaching the finals of The Newcomer Award will help raise their profile.

Stephen said: “It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind and quite a steep learning curve for both of us, but we’ve learned what we’re best at and stick to that.

“We’ve made some mistakes, of course, but we’re now at the stage where we’ve tripled our turnover from the first to the second year.

“We’ve poured everything we’ve made back into the business – buying new vans and equipment.

"I remember leaving my old job and my boss said I’d be back in a couple of months; now he’s using my company.

“As far as the awards are concerned it’s a real honour to be a finalist. But we wouldn’t be where we are without the lads behind us.”