AN ABERGAVENNY woman swapped premiums for shears after starting a college course.

Helen Rees, 43, of Abergavenny, worked in an insurance sales job for six years but signed up for a horticulture course after the call of the outdoors became to much to bear.

One customer thought she has done so well that she was nominated for and came runner up in a Lantra land based lifelong learning award.

Lantra is the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land based sector.

Ms Rees now runs her own business, Lady Bird Garden Services, and maintains gardens in and around Abergavenny.

She said: "I've worked on sites as large as 14 acre estates and as small as pensioner's bungalows.

"I love the job, even on rainy days! In bad weather you just see it as a challenge.

The gardener began her course at Coleg Gwent's Hill Education and Conference Centre in September 2006.

She has completed her Horticultural Royal Society stage two qualification, and is now working towards her stage one certificate.

At first Ms Rees kept her insurance sales job, attending college in the evening. But last May 2007 she decided to set up her own business and work as a gardener full time.

"In the end I was spending more time looking out the window than at the computer. When I realised I thought it was time to make the move.

"But it was thanks to the course that I got the confidence to branch out on my own."

For more information contact 01495 333333 or visit www.coleggwent.ac.uk.