THE urban sprawl of Nick Hughes's native Birmingham held relatively little appeal when he was looking for somewhere to settle down and carve out a career.

Birmingham's loss was Kidderminster's gain as Nick, 41, opted for life in the carpet town.

Aside from his law career - he is a solicitor - he is at the heart of organisations keen to preserve Kidderminster's heritage.

The father-of-three was elected chairman of Kidderminster Civic Society earlier this year and is on the management committee of the Carpet Museum Trust, positions he fits in around his work with Church Street-based Painters Solicitors.

He arrived in Kidderminster in 1981 from college, joining the law firm - in which he is now a partner - and qualifying as an articled clerk.

His wife, Ann, comes from Kidderminster.

"Although I lived on the borders of Birmingham, I never liked the idea of working in the city," said Nick.

"I always preferred the market town environment."

He added that it "always appealed more than the cut and thrust that can be city life."

His involvement with the civic society and with the museum trust reflect his enthusiasm for Kidderminster's past.

"I've always had an interest in local history and local affairs," he said.

"Most people are aware that Kidderminster has a strong carpet heritage that goes back several centuries," he added.

"One of the things we need to do, where possible, is preserve such heritage for future generations."

With the demands made by juggling his occupation, representative work and a young family, there is not much time left to indulge his passion for sailing, a lifelong interest inherited from his father.

Indeed, Nick, of Lyndholm Road, is currently vice-chairman of the Royal Yachting Association West Midlands region and was secretary of the former Lenchford Sailing Club.

"I used to be involved with the organising of the Boat, Caravan and Leisure Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, every February," he added. "I used to put a lot of time into that."

Nick - who is also a governor of Harry Cheshire Community High School, Kidderminster - often finds himself asked to take on roles on various bodies and has a theory for that. "I think, to a certain extent, I'm a born organiser," he explained.

"That's one of the reasons, I'm sure, why I found that going into the law was something that would appeal to me."

Of his work for the Carpet Museum Trust, he said: "It's the only traditional trade that hasn't got its own museum.

"There's also the other aspect, that Kidderminster has no sort of museum - apart from the railway museum, which is a specialist museum - since the old museum was demolished."