A hero window cleaner has become an online sensation after pressure washing the filthy pavements in his hometown in his spare time - making him an unexpected TikTok star. Andrew Carr was fed up with the paths and cobbles being covered in chewing gum and dog poo.
He decided to take action himself after he finished washing a shop’s windows and gutters. The 32-year-old turned his powerful pressure washer on the path outside and was amazed to see patterns on the slabs which had been hidden under decades of dirt.
He contacted the local council and offered to spruce up the rest of the historic town in his spare time and they agreed. Every Sunday morning, Andrew blasts the paths and pavements around the town centre until they sparkle.
Andrew, who lives in Alnwick, Northumberland, said: “I was cleaning windows and gutters and just looked down and was really disappointed at the state of the pavements. I looked further up the high street and every paving slab was covered in chewing gum and there was dog mess. It was a sad sight.
“Right there and then I set myself a goal of cleaning the centre of town up. I thought to myself that everyone complains about dog mess and chewing gum but no one does anything about it.
“I contacted the town council and said I wanted to clean the paths up and they were delighted. I started one Sunday and just started pressure washing every paving slab. After I’d finished I was really pleased with the results.
“The pavements looked like new.” Andrew, who owns ABC Cleaning Services, has transformed the centre of the historic town.
He now wants to tackle the pavements around the edges of the town, including the rundown bus station and nearby residential streets. He added: “I contacted Arriva and they’ve given me permission to clean up the bus station so I’ll get onto that next.”
Andrew's TikTok videos of his work have attracted thousands of followers from around the world. Residents have also hailed Andrew “a hero” for his selfless work.
One said: “It really has lifted the spirits of people living here. From grey and miserable pavements, we now have something like you see in most modern European cities.
“It’s lovely to hear people, especially visitors, commenting on how clean the centre of town looks.” Life-long resident Angela Davies, 60, said: "I've lived here my entire life and I never knew the paving slabs had patterns before they were washed.
"It may seem a small thing to be excited about but the clean pavements have transformed the place." Councillor Gordon Castle said: “Andrew came to me offering this service to the town and after clearing it through the town and county council we are delighted to accept his generous offer.
"The work clearing chewing gum is very time consuming but the results are a revelation. On behalf of the town, I thank him for his public-spirited work.”
