A nine-year-old from Kent has launched his own lawn mowing business so he can save up to become a tree surgeon.

Entrepreneurial schoolboy Matteo Robinson, from Chartham near Canterbury, began cutting grass-cutting professionally during lockdown and has already built up a long list of regular clients.

Entrepreneurial nine-year-old Matteo Robinson talks to kmtv

Dad Anthony Robinson, 39, says it has been a tough year for outdoorsy Matteo who as well as enduring multiple lockdowns, sadly lost his dearly beloved grandmother.

But the motivated youngster decided to put his energy into grass-cutting, in a bid to save up so he can pursue his dream of one day becoming a tree surgeon. He even offers a discount to NHS staff who employ his services.

His success has turned him into a "local celebrity", and he has already put some of his wages towards upgrading his shears to an electric strimmer.

He is supervised while mowing lawns by his dad, who goes with him on every job and helps ensure the work is done in a socially distanced manner.

But Matteo's family say all the work is carried out by the youngster alone, and that the business idea was his.

Mum Jenna Hoare, 34, said: "There's no stopping him. Once he has an idea, he's off and running.

"He always wants to be outdoors doing something so lockdown really restricted him from doing things outside of our home.

"Then he figured out a way of earning money for his dream as well as helping other people."

Matteo is busy building his customer base through word of mouth and a dedicated Facebook page.

Mr Robinson said: "While out cutting front gardens he gets lots off beeps and thumbs up from passers-by. He's turned into a local celebrity.

"At first I was limiting him to three gardens a day to see how he'd cope but he's was enjoying it, having a good rapport with the owners and leaving things in a professional manner.

"All his earning have gone straight into his money box."

Matteo is also considering investing some of his earnings in buying liveried work uniform.

For more information, visit Matteo's Mowing - Chartham & Surrounding Areas on Facebook.

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