A FORMER Hampshire dustman who built a business from selling a bike a week on eBay into one of the biggest names in cycling in the south is about to unveil his new website.

It will be the latest step in Dave Harding's meteoric rise, which has seen him go from enthusiastic hobbyist to owner of a £250,000 turnover business with its own shop and the region's number 1 bike racing team in just five years.

"I was a cleansing operative or a dustman for short. I worked for Eastleigh Borough council for 15 years. I was always finished by lunchtime and that enabled me to build up the business.

"I took up racing late in life when I was 34 and had a mid-life crisis. I started building bikes for all the guys in the club and then eBay came along. I started off selling one a week and that encouraged me to set up my own website."

His shop, DH Cycles in Woolston, Southampton, sells bespoke racing bikes ranging from £495 to £2,000.

Its 38-strong DHC race team took the regional title last year and are hot favourites this year.

Visit dhcyclesport.co.uk.