THE JOURNAL October 25 2006

Two-year-old twins inspire dad’s venture

With winter fast approaching, a Cumbrian sheep farmer has developed a new range of gumboots for children.

Shamed into action by his twin boys’ cries about freezing feet in traditional gumboots, Simon Wood, 45, designed boots lined with neoprene, the insulating material used in scuba gear.

He said “The boys were with me when I was lambing in the spring and after half an hour they were complaining about cold feet.

They had thick socks on, but their wellies were hopeless. I felt really guilty because my boots were lined with neoprene and I was as warm as toast.”

Mr Wood, who runs 300 breeding ewes on a 150 acre farm near Walton, said a quick search of the internet revealed no youngsters boots using the speciality materials.

After designing the boots, Mr Wood travelled to China a struck a deal with a manufacturer. The first 6,000 pairs arrived at his Hillfield Farm home this week and his venture – The Warm Welly Company – has been inundated with interest from parents.

Simon, whose boys Tom and Archie are two, also has two daughters, Chloe, 6, and Isabel, 4. He intends to sell the brightly coloured wellies via his website, www.warmwellies.co.uk.

He said, “I had to go on a business course and find out all about importing, websites, marketing and PR, but now it’s all systems go.”

The boots, up to a size 2, cater for youngsters aged 2 to 6. He is now looking at developing a range for older children.