Roy George has a passion for making household items out of wood - and he owes it to an unlikely source.

The 46-year-old of Beverley Close, Workington, has been woodturning for seven years.

He first discovered the craft at an event in Allonby where he saw an expert called Rich Felix, of Salta, in action. Rich invited Roy to have a go and he has been hooked ever since.

Roy's house is awash with his creations and he works on items in between caring for his wife Sue, 44, who has multiple sclerosis.

His creations include bowls, vases, castle turrets, a small nursing chair and a small four-poster bed and has his own venture, Celtic Dragon Woodturning.

He says: "I get pieces of wood and put them on the lathes and the wood speaks to me.

"I don't have a plan for it. Some people will make a drawing first whereas I put wood on the lathes and start turning and something will come to me.

"I mostly make bowls and vases, but I made the small nursing chair and small four-poster bed to give myself a challenge.

"I've used a metal lathe before, so the transition between that and the wood lathe is not that big so it just went hand in hand."

His projects can take between three hours and several months to complete, depending on what he is making.

Wood is not Roy's only material of choice. Having branched out into stained glass creations five years ago he has made decorations and lampshades.

Roy, a former mechanic, and Sue wanted to learn about stained glass and did an evening course in Whitehaven.

He sources his wood mainly through word of mouth and also approaches people if he sees them working on trees.

He adds: "Usually when I hear a chainsaw I'm there. If you explain that you're a woodturner they usually say I can take some and that it was only going to be used for firewood.

"It's nice to see something coming from your own idea into actually being.

"It's very satisfying having your own items at home because there's no way you'd be able to something like them from a shop. To be able to do it myself gives me great pleasure."

As well as stamping his own mark on his house, Roy also attends craft fairs across Cumbria and sells his work. He is planning a new venture making stained-glass mosaics.

Roy says: "It gives me a sense of worth because I've had to give up work to look after my wife. Having this passion keeps me in touch with strangers and members of the public."