AN EX-British soldier has launched his own private investigation agency in Kendal.

Darren Wilson, from Kendal, is offering his expert sleuth services, which he gained during eight years in the army as a covert operative.

“I liked the surveillance work I did in the forces,” said the 39-year-old.

"I conducted surveillance work in Northern Ireland with the close observation platoon and then in Iraq with the Brigade Surveillance Company.

"We conducted covert operations to gather intelligence on the whereabouts of weapon hides and IED manufacturing factories.

“I missed it and I wanted to use my skills to help people and businesses.”

Private Investigation and Surveillance Agency has been open for just over a year, with business really kicking off in the last six months according to Mr Wilson.

"A lot of the stuff we do involves background checks on people," said Mr Wilson.

"Which is good for estate agents and we do a lot of work for solicitors.

"A lot of the surveillance comes from matrimonial cases, we also look into fraud investigations and traces.

"Usually solicitors use this if they need to trace someone who has run off somewhere.

"We can trace them down with just a name usually."

During the relatively short period the agency has been open Mr Wilson has already been involved in an eclectic array of surveillance briefs.

In Mr Wilson's latest assignment he investigated a potential case of benefit fraud.

"You get a lot of people who claim benefits who say they're not well and they can't work," he said.

"But they're actually working and carrying on with their daily lives, doing sports, bungee jumping or whatever."

The investigator has also worked on cases for business owners, where he has revealed supposedly sick employees have had a second job.

"We've had cases such as someone might be off sick and we've found they've had a second job," said Mr Wilson.

"Claiming sick pay and getting another income.

"We've worked on a couple of cases like that."

The agency's cases are predominantly worked on by Mr Wilson himself, however he also works with a network of private investigators across the country.

"We know each other all over the country," he said.

"I myself work mainly in the north west, anything further and I can get another agent somewhere else to deal with those cases."

To find out more about what the agency offers visit www.private-investigators.uk