A TV handyman from Kidderminster who began plying his trade on camera on the popular BBC show Trading Up is appealing for untidy Wyre Forest home-owners to hand over their houses to his latest programme.

Soldier-turned-joiner Andy Davis moved to the town six years ago after serving in the British Army for nine years as a driving and maintenance and physical training instructor.

The son of a carpentry teacher in Birmingham, he discovered his love of home improvement during an Army course in woodwork and joinery, which led to a career as a self-employed decorator.

The 37-year-old father-of-three was catapulted into the energetic world of television DIY three years ago after doing a decorating job for a producer who urged him to apply for a behind-the-scenes position on House Call, alongside Big Brother winner, Craig Philips.

Now, after also working on Big Strong Boys, the handyman, who supplements his media career with decorating jobs, is using his infectious enthusiasm for the small screen to encourage his neighbours in the district to appear on his current show, Houses Behaving Badly.

The series - which has been promoted as looking for houses with cookers caked with unidentified frying objects and cobwebs that could pass for hammocks - is being shown at 11am on weekdays on BBC1 for seven weeks.

"We're still in need of at least three houses to film in the Kidderminster area, which is why I have come to the Shuttle/Times and News," Andy said.

"We go into houses in a morning and usually, as a surprise for one partner, we go in and tidy up and make over three rooms in the house."

He went on: "We usually take the other partner out for the day to do flower arranging or play golf or something like that and we deal with the other people living in the house and get their input on what they both like.

"It's more of a cleaning programme than a makeover show but, at the end of the day, I put new units up and carpets and things and we have a party of cleaners who come in and clean up."

He added: "We need people who have had stuff in their houses for years that they cannot get rid of and we sort it out for them so their rooms can function again - and it's just nice to see their faces when they come back."

Anyone interested in handing their house over can e-mail ontv@bbc.co.uk or call 0870 3337328. Alternatively, they should write to Room 329, BBC Pebble Mill, Birmingham, B5 7QQ.