AS working days get longer many people are finding it harder to give their pets the amount of exercise they need, an experience which has led to a new business for a Chippenham woman.

Caroline Scarborough has taken a three-year career break from her job as an accountant in the public sector to start her own pet minding and dog walking business called EZ Pets.

With advice from Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire, EZ Pets has already attracted a number of regular clients and has been so popular that she is hoping to expand her business in the future.

"I've always kept dogs but the hours I had to work meant that I just couldn't give them the long walks they needed," she said.

"From speaking to other people in the area I realised that plenty experienced the same difficulty, for a number of reasons including poor health. I went to Business Link initially for some advice and attended one of its three-day business start-up courses in Swindon."

She now hopes to put EZ Pets on the World Wide Web.

Christopher Pearson, business adviser at Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire, said: "Caroline identified a real gap in the market in her area.

"This helped us to compile a focused business plan and get EZ Pets up and running.

"Over the last three months the business has gone from strength to strength and, thanks to the huge number of contacts Business Link has, we have been able to help every step of the way, including putting Caroline in touch with suppliers whose businesses have, in turn, helped her provide her customers with all the creature comforts they need."