Redundant marketing executive and mother of two Sian Martin turned a DIY disaster into a successful Coleshill-based business - starting on "online dating agency" for joinery companies and bargain hungry customers.

Faced with a dwindling budget and a whole house to renovate she embarked on a giant bargain hunt, making a discovery that changed her life.

"Facing financial ruin and a gutted house I trawled the internet for bargains and endof-line stock that could offer me some savings - but none of the sites I found offered this sort of service," she said.

"I was surprised that no one had picked up on this and developed something for the hordes of house renovators, DIY enthusiasts, new builders and self builders all looking for bargains, predominantly using the internet as I did."

Undaunted, the West Midlands mum set out on a mission - to "boldly go where not many girls care to go."

She visited builders merchants yards, joinery manufacturers, stockists and distributors, asking for products which were slightly damaged, end of line clearances, anything she could use to kit out her house and part with as little cash as possible.

"The clock was ticking, I had no windows, I had no kitchen, no doors or anything else for that matter.

"But I had lots of cheek and fearful of being in a makeshift tent on the village green developed a killer instinct for stalking and pouncing on something that looked promising and cost as little as I could haggle it down to," she said.

"During my trials and traumas I found that the joinery sector and building materials sector had a big problem with surplus or redundant stock and were looking for someone to take it away - often at next to nothing.

"This problem is on a significant scale and a real issue for many companies who face losing thousands by having to write this stock off at the end of the year.

"They also face stringent rules on disposing of this type of stock. They can no longer bin it, burn it or bury it - environmentally friendly is a big watch-word in the world of wood."

Sian hit on the idea of an online dating agency for the joinery industry, bringing together companies and buyers hunting for a bargain.

"With many years experience in marketing from my previous job I took my idea to long- time colleagues and friends Midlands-based Axcess Ten, web designers and ecommerce specialists.

"They were very excited by the potential my idea offered and after several months of scribbling and brainstorming a plan was settled on to take my idea online," she said

The site - ejoinery.co.uk - has now been running for six months.

It now has more than 1,000 companies on its database and is attracting some 3,000 visitors a month.

"I have inquiries from people looking for fire doors from London to inquiries for ironmongery from a new builder in Yorkshire," Sian said.

"Online bargain hunters are now in their millions, with 54 per cent of UK households now having access to the internet.

"But many businesses, particularly those in the building and joinery trades, are not embracing this phenomenon as they should and need to develop their business to harness the power of the internet.

"This is why ejoinery.co.uk is a growing business. We offer massive exposure to our members and their excess stock, and a real value for money solution to the smaller traders who haven't got the necessary investment available to them to develop their own online facility," she added.

"It's a really huge shop window that is open all hours and the success of the site is down to it having a valid application and providing a new market place for the sector."

* For further information contact Sian Martin on 01675 437378 or email sian@ejoinery.co.uk.