A FATHER and son team of carpenters from Dawlish joined forces with up to 200 other tradespeople to help transform a family home in the BBC show DIY SOS.

Nigel Fraser and his 20-year-old son Kier spent eight days working on the property in Feniton, East Devon last year.

Nigel said: ‘It was a great experience, we got to meet lots of other tradespeople which was nice when it’s usually just the two of us.

‘It was a bit manic with so many people working in the house and some late nights.

‘It was quite tiring but a different way of working for us but it’s surprising how you cope with so many people around.’

Nigel, who has 30 years experience and qualified as a carpenter during his time in the Royal Engineers, said he and Kier, who are MK Carpentry and Building, thoroughly enjoyed volunteering their time during the build in October last year.

DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles with Kier Fraser. Photo supplied
DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles with Kier Fraser. Photo supplied (MDA )

The family in Feniton were living in a half-finished house after the death of husband and father Chris who was himself a carpenter.

His widow Georgie is looking after three young children, one who is being assessed for autism, and caring for her mother who has early onset dementia.

Nigel was particularly keen to take part as a fellow carpenter.

He said: ‘They were asking for carpenters so we filled in the application form and were chosen to join.

‘Everyone works for free but we wanted to see what the experience was like and how it worked.

‘We had early starts as we started at 7am.

‘We were aware the husband who passed was a carpenter so we kept in quite a few bits he had made.

‘Ripping out was the first job which was manic and you have to work around the film crew.

‘Basically you helped out wherever you could do something.

‘We all mucked in and you do the best you can.’

The programme is available on BBC iPlayer.