JOHN Lancaster, who is retiring as chairman of Ribble Valley company Ultraframe, is one whose life story reads like a fairytale.

Twenty years ago he was broke and wondering if it was worth waking up in the morning. Today he is a multi-millionaire whose generosity has touched the lives of his Ribble Valley workforce and many poor people throughout the world.

Reporter Simon Haworth met him on the day he bowed out...

JOHN Lancaster: faithful, charismatic, benevolent, inspirational, wacky and unique.

All these words describe a man who today stepped down from the company he forged from nothing to one which now employs more than a thousand people.

John was given a warm send off by his workforce at Ultraframe's base in Salthill Road, Clitheroe, with presents and many handshakes of appreciation.

The workers have every right to be proud and thankful to John.

After the company's stock market floatation in 1997 John enabled the workforce to benefit from the company's huge leap in share value which the floatation created, leaving many with secure financial futures.

This unique, sharing approach to business and commitment to his local community is what sets John Lancaster apart from the ordinary.

"I love Clitheroe, I love the people, they are my family and friends," he said.

"We have good people in Clitheroe who are genuine and hard-working. The company has become part of the community."

John Lancaster was born in Langho in 1942 and was educated at Ribblesdale High School. He left at 15 without any serious prospects and worked as an apprentice electrical engineer.

Following various unsuccessful business ventures including selling freezers and hiring out cars John reached a low ebb.

He said: "I was pretty hard up, strapped for cash and wasn't the best family man.

"I was in London and I searched myself, asking what's the point in me getting up tomorrow?

"But then what happened to me was life changing."

John became a Christian, which he strongly believes helped him pursue his ingenious business ideas and become a millionaire.

And his inspiration to see the business potential in affordable conservatories was to transform the rest of his life.

John said: "I don't see myself as just lucky. I got some breaks but I have always been able to see the potential in something that hasn't happened. My last business was ahead of the game, it was about focusing and wanting to do it in the right way."

He added: "Its been darn tough. Its nearly killed me what I have come through to get here. I nearly cracked a number of times but I have finished up a pretty wealthy guy and I think that's fair!"

His unmistakably eccentric approach to life can be highlighted by one 1980s trip to hand out bibles to the Russian poor. If he had been caught he would have been treated very harshly by the communist authorities but it was something the East Lancashire lad felt he "had to do".

As well as becoming a non-executive director of Ultraframe what John has planned for his retirement could sound to the rest of us like a full-time job.

He has many charitable projects in the UK and Africa.

One which is very close to his heart is an Aids hospice in Johannesburg of which Ultraframe is the main sponsor.

One little boy, who is an Aids sufferer has been adopted by the hospital benefactors and he has even been given the name Tsepho Ultraframe!

But along with the good work, John will also be enjoying himself with more holidays and more time with his family.

He said: "It is the end of an era. I am getting pretty old and my bus pass has just come through. I will play a bit more golf, yes I think it could be all right retirement."