People in Gloucestershire are being offered the chance to hire tradesmen and women from an unlikely source.

John Lewis, better known for selling home appliances and furnishings, is expanding a trial of a brand new home improvement and maintenance service across the South West, including Cheltenham and Gloucester, from Tuesday, September 12.

The initiative, called 'Home Solutions from John Lewis', which has already been trialled in Milton Keynes, enables customers to book plumbers, electricians, decorators and gardeners online who have been selected and approved by the retailer.

Customers can request a fully qualified, professional tradesperson via the Home Solutions app, website, or customer call centre.

After selecting the job that needs doing, customers will be shown a variety of time slots when the work can be performed. Having chosen a suitable time, customers are then matched with an available trade professional who can be booked and paid for via the Home Solutions app, or website.

In keeping with John Lewis's customer service standards customers will be given a one- year guarantee on the work.

Tom Athron, group development director at the John Lewis Partnership, said: "As a trusted retailer of home products our customers often ask us if we can help them with tasks in their homes.

"We are delighted to be expanding our trial and have taken a lot of care to find professionals who will deliver service to the standard that people expect from John Lewis.

'We know how difficult it can be to find the time in our busy lives to source trusted trade professionals and hope our customers find the service helpful."

The local trade professionals taking part in the initiative have all undergone a rigorous recruitment process which includes interviews, background checks, viewing of previous work and an induction to John Lewis customer service standards.

John Lewis is due to open its eagerly awaited new store in Cheltenham next year.

Picture caption: An artist's impression of the new John Lewis store in Cheltenham.