Afghanistan veteran Colin Smith has swapped his rifle for a paint gun to set up his own North Cornwall based business specialising in carrying out minor paint repairs to vehicle bodywork and alloy wheels.

After six years in the Army, ex-corporal Colin Smith has returned to his roots in Liskeard, where he can spend more time with his son and achieve a life-long ambition to be his own boss. He joins one of the largest and most reputable vehicle repair networks of accredited technicians in the country.

Colin has always had a love for cars. On opening Revive! North Cornwall he said: “Vehicles have been my passion forever. When I retired from the army I wanted a complete career change but still have a job that was very hands on. I was impressed by Revive! and share their commitment to delivering a very high standard of work and customer service.”

As a corporal in the Reconnaissance Sniper Platoon, Colin served and trained all over the world and was deployed on an operational tour in Afghanistan.

Colin has high ambitions for his business, which provides quality, cost effective repairs at a time and place to suit customers. Repairs usually cost far less than the average insurance policy excess without the hassle of taking your vehicle to the bodyshop, sorting out lifts or arranging a courtesy car.

He continued: “There are always going to be opportunities for a business like Revive! because people are always going to have scuffs and scrapes on their vehicles,” he says.

“My aim is to earn a reputation for offering the best mobile bodyshop service in North Cornwall. In the future I’d like to be in a position to add another van to my business and take on a member of staff. Maybe when my little boy grows up he can come on board too.”