A MAN has told how he does a job no one wants and gets paid £50 for less than an hour’s work.
Greg White, 59, from Ryedale, North Yorkshire, is “grateful” to a classic much-loved film – but added it can divide opinion amongst others in his profession.
SWNSGreg charges £50 to sweep your chimney and also sweeps stoves[/caption]
The chimney sweep said Mary Poppins actor Dick Van Dyke transformed the job into something “quirky”.
Now he whistles the iconic tune “chim chimney” while he sweeps.
But not everyone is keen.
Other sweeps are ashamed of the link to the 1964 film.
Greg said he has found 15 dead jackdaws, a hammer and bits of timber up customers’ chimneys.
He described how “you get grubby” but “it’s a really nice job”.
He added: “I’m forever grateful to Dick Van Dyke.
“Chimney sweeping seems a bit quirky because of him.
“He’s an iconic character.
“Mary Poppins gets mentioned a couple of times a week.”
Greg took up chimney sweeping eight years ago after researching for a job that would give him an income at the end of the day.
After taking courses at the National Association of Chimney Sweeps, Greg was able to start his own business called, Cleansweep Chimney Sweeping.
He told how his job takes him to hundreds of homes across the Moors.
He added: “I can tell what’s up the chimney from using the brush.
“I’ve found a hammer, a full-length spirit level and bits of timber.
“I find birds nests.”
Greg once found 15 jackdaws up one chimney and laid them all out in a row.
He said: “It looked like a scene from Silent Witness.”
Greg said chimney sweepers have to be careful not to disturb any live animals.
He added that his work is in high demand and he sweeps stoves as well as chimneys.
Greg says some chimney sweeps hate the association with Dick Van Dyke but it is one he embraces.
He said: “I whistle chim chimney to myself.”
Mary Poppins follows the story of the Banks family as a magical nanny teaches two children important life lessons.
Dick Van Dyke, who plays Bert, is the family’s chimney sweep and a friend of Mary Poppins.
Together they take the children on musical adventures around London.
It comes after a YouTuber showed how he makes £158,000 a year collecting people’s rubbish.
An Australian worker revealed on social media that she has “the best-paid job” making £10,000 a month.
SWNSGreg claims he once found 15 dead birds in someone’s chimney[/caption]
SWNSGreg decided to become a chimney sweeper eight years ago[/caption]
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