A DISABLED father-of-three has turned his back on the benefits system by starting his own business.

Paul Flynn has been off work for more than six years after suffering from a condition that meant his hip joints were extremely painful.

Mr Flynn, 37, of Grange Road, Dovercourt, decided he couldn’t sit around and do nothing.

He said: “It is not in me to live off the Government for the rest of my life.”

“I went on incapacity benefit because I coudn’t medically go back to work, and then I came up with this idea and went for it.

“I am not the sort of person to sit on my backside and stay on benefits for the rest of my life. I have always been physical since I left school, and I felt the time was right to do something not physical, for me.

“There was nothing else they could do for me, there were no more operations and I am on tablets.”

Mr Flynn’s catalogue of health problems started when he lost strength in his elbow, which was down to excess bone growth on the joint.

He gave up his full-time Colchester job as a wood machinist.

After an operation on his elbow, he became more aware of a pain in his right hip and medics finally established in 2006 he had a condition called avascular necrosis.

It is where the blood supply to certain parts of the body, dies, and for some can result in cysts or even tumours.

Both of his hips also suffered from another medical condition where the fluid that keeps joints supple, escapes.

He has had several operations to try to correct these problems.

Although he does not need a wheelchair, Mr Flynn is registered disabled and sometimes uses a walking stick to help him get around.

He hopes that his new venture will give him a new lease of life where his health problems will not restrict him so much.

His store, Karina Rentals, which has DVDS, blu-ray and games consoles available to rent, officially opens its doors in Dovercourt High Street today.