I gave up hair extensions, false nails and false eyelashes to work on a construction site

A GLAMOR marketing manager ditched her hair extensions, false nails and false eyelashes to go to work on a construction site.

Charlotte Edwards, 38, decided to take over the family construction business when her father Dennis, 68, and brother Andrew, 29, both died of cancer in 2019.

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But she had never set foot on a construction site and had to learn the trade by digging.

The single mother of two found herself unloading kitchens, cleaning and fetching supplies.

She said: “I ditched dresses and heels and bought thermals and steel toe boots. I encountered a lot of sexism.

But his career change paid off.

His company, based in Oswestry, Shrops, has completed the 25 houses his father started and is working on other projects.

“I just learned from scratch, went to the site every day and learned on my own.

“I know that a workcamp is not for children, but when the schools closed due to the pandemic, I had no choice but to take my son, Caleb, seven, and his four-year-old daughter Florence.

“Because I had no construction experience, I couldn’t take any courses.

“I just listened to podcasts, read books, and watched hundreds of YouTube videos just to learn on my own.”