"I've always had two fantasy jobs: stuntman or tree
surgeon," says Ed. Despite his unconventional ambitions, he chose a
university course because he thought a degree would help him get a
job.
But after graduating he was still no closer to deciding on a
career. "I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I'd always
fancied the idea of working outside and using my hands, doing
practical stuff." He found a job as a landscape gardener's
assistant and went on to take a City & Guilds tree surgery
course.
Now Ed's considering further qualifications in tree biology. Tree
surgery is in high demand, and successful tree surgeons can go on
to be tree officers for local councils, responsible for every tree
in the area.
Ed doesn't regret choosing trees over stunts. "It's not quite as
glamorous as being a stuntman but you get to do exciting stuff
sometimes. There were flash floods around London the other week -
trees were falling down all over the place. We had to pull a tree
out of the Thames."