The Field Engineer of the Year at Lanes Group plc admits he jumps for joy when he clears a challenging drain blockage.

Simon O’Brien says customers must notice the excitement he feels when he tells them he has solved their drainage problem.

“It’s such a massive rush when I pop a difficult blockage,” says Simon. “I literally jump for joy. It gives me such a buzz. That’s why I’ll always be a drainage engineer now.”

Simon is one of 1,402 field operatives who work for drainage specialist Lanes across the UK. His boss, Regional Manager Paul Lynch, says he richly deserves his award as Field Engineer of the Year.

“Simon is super enthusiastic, and entirely reliable,” he says. “We’ve got a lot of excellent drainage engineers at Lanes, but Simon epitomises the best, combining technical expertise with great customer service.”

Simon, aged 32, from Rochdale, has worked for Lanes Group for two years, first on its wastewater network services maintenance contract for Thames Water.

His previous job had been as a support worker for a young man who had been confined to a wheelchair after he was hit by a car at the age of six.

Simon applied to work on the Thames Water contract, based at Chertsey, in Surrey, because it allowed him to live in nearby Egham, with his mother, aged 53, who had been diagnosed with dementia.

He explains: “My younger brother, Kyle, works with Lanes for Thames Water so I decided I would join him, so I could help look after mum, and take the weight off his shoulders.

“I loved doing the utility work. The training was fantastic, and I got to do sewer walks. But being away from my partner and two kids was really hard, because I only saw them once a month.

“So, when a proper care package was put in place for mum, I asked Lanes if I could transfer to the North West.”

Simon is now a van pack blockage engineer, based at the Lanes Manchester Depot in Eccles – and says he puts all his life experience into delivering the best customer service he can.

He says: “I suppose I have some experience and understanding of how to help people when they’re feeling under stress, and that’s often the situation customers are in with drainage problems.

“I’m a very enthusiastic person and I believe, even when I’m not feeling my best, that it’s important to be professional.

“So, I always try to have a smile on my face, and always have time to talk to customers, to explain what the drainage problem is and what I can do to help.”

Simon also loves working at Lanes. He says: “It’s like a family. We work as a team and we all look out for each other. Every day is different. With drains, nothing is what it seems.

“So, you have to think outside the box. But I love a challenge, and when I sort a customer’s problem, I guess they get my excitement and sense of achievement.”