The former convict makes sculptures in his Bellingham home after becoming disabled following an operation

Paul Scott, 49, now makes sculptures out of clay and plaster of Paris - usually of people's deceased dogs.

After suffering two crushed discs in his spine he was left housebound, and has been on crutches since 2007.

Mr Scott said: "I've had two unsuccessful operations; I've had electrodes attached to my spinal cord. I use crutches, but that's given me frozen shoulder.

"I don't go out. The only time I go out is for the doctors or hospital."

Formerly working as a doorman, he now lives in Bellingham with his Shih Tzu Amy.

He explained how it all started, saying: "It's a hobby of mine, I’m just a house bound disabled person who got bored and needed a hobby.

"I enjoy doing it; it takes my mind away from things. I'll carry on as long as the plaster of Paris keeps coming."

Never pursuing art when he was younger, he said: "I was a naughty boy so I got put in jail at 15, I didn't take any exams. I was in for about eight months then. All in all I've spent about seven years inside for different sentences."

Leaving prison in 1991, he spent time inside for armed robbery, theft and stealing cars.

The father of three said: "I'm a reformed man now."

Creating around 50 pieces, he says he never keeps any of them: "I use plaster of Paris, clay and yoghurt pots for the inside. I sand it all down and paint them. It's all done by hand and I set them in my oven."

Creating people's beloved pets started when a friend's died.

He added: "I have a lot of people phoning me up about their pets dying, I do them from photographs. I usually do it for free for the pets, but I might start charging to cover my costs.

"I did a staff [Staffordshire bull terrier] for this woman, she was over the moon. She wanted to put me in all the staff magazines.

"It's all word of mouth; I've just finished a pug."

He recently created a miniature of 'Mrs Brown', from TV show Mrs Brown's Boys, but was left in a bit of a fix.

Mr Scott, who lives off Southend Lane, said: "An American ordered it, I quoted £180. But my friend who was supposed to deliver it to him went back to prison, and I don't have the American's details. So I'm trying to sell it now, I spent four weeks doing it."

He is currently working on a Jeremy Kyle, and added while he has not made a sculpture of his pet he will one day.

To get in touch about a sculpture visit www.facebook.com/paul.scott.311493