YOUNG entrepreneur Steve Finch has developed a hobby into a successful Gravesend business. Steve's Collectables and Toys in Queen Street and has seen business boom since the 21-year-old opened in July last year.

The shop offers a range of nostalgia and collectable toys ranging from old Star Wars toys and Barbie dolls to model cars. Steve first caught the collecting bug on a trip to America when he was 14 and he went into a shop selling Star Wars memorabilia.

He bought a load of the merchandise and when he arrived back home sold it at a boot fair. After making a bit of money from that successful enterprise he decided that he wanted a career in buying and selling collectable toys.

His dream came true when he opened the shop. Steve said: "It's been a very good year and I've doubled my targets. I think I'm the only place in Gravesend that sells the things I do, which puts me in a very good position.

"I've had people come from all over the place to buy things from my shop. I've even had loads of London customers who've said they don't have anything like this up there. I just hope the business carries on growing and growing."