KEVIN Nicholls - known as Safari Sam to youngsters - started up his Honley play centre two years ago.

Previously owning a window cleaning business, being in the forces, bus driving and sales and marketing, he saw an opportunity and went for it.

Having four children and four grandchildren he found that the play centres on offer were limited.

"You could stay only a couple of hours, parents couldn't interact with their kids and the food wasn't very good," he said.

It's obviously working out well, as there are often queues at Safari Sam's by 8.30am on weekends, and as we talk on a school day, it starts filling up by 10am.

"It's a Tardis here, three windows but 8,000 sq ft of fun," he said. "I'm usually here for 6.45am ready to open up, make sure the cleaning's been done and switch on the heating.

"School club children start arriving for 7am. We have up to 30 children in the club and start transporting them to up to 10 schools .

"In school holidays the kids get to use the play centre's facilities supervised by childcare staff."

The doors open at 9am ready for business. The indoor play centre has a jungle theme, with a three-storey structure including six slides, a rope bridge, and chimney climbs. There's also a toddlers' area and bouncy castle.

"We have 20 full and part- time staff plus the out of school club staff. My daughter Natasha has recently been appointed manager.

"There is no one typical day here. Sometimes by 10am I can have up to 40 toddlers in, groups of mums use it as a meeting place, and people come in for breakfast or lattes and cappuccinos.

"We cook up to 100 meals a day and in school holidays this can rise to 300.

"We try to vary the menu and this includes paninis, jacket spuds and children's meals. There's free juice and no time limits.

"By 2.45pm we start to pick up school children, we have a good relationship with head teachers and local schools. By teatime it can become a bit hectic with parties, teatime specials, and parents picking up kids from school club.

"Mums work for us during the day, but we employ a lot of youngsters, mainly students who want to work with children. It helps them gain social skills. As well as interacting and earning money they get to earn child qualifications too."

Kevin's always keen to see special needs kids enjoying themselves and groups from Lydgate and Longley Schools pay regular visits.

In fact, Kevin is passionate about giving something back to the community. He lends his minibuses free of charge with driver to local schools, church groups and organisations such as Brownies and Cubs, as well as loaning bouncy castles to local churches.

The nursery also sponsors Hepworth's under-10s football team and is in the process of sponsoring Underbank under 9s amateur rugby league.

"By far the best part of the day is seeing children happy, enjoying themselves. We aim to bring out the child in everybody.

"The worst bit is at the end of the day, it looks like a bombsite. We close our doors at 8pm but I don't usually leave until nine.

"I occasionally call at the local wine bar for a glass of wine on the way home, and to relax I'm a stained glass artist, when I find time to do this.

"We try to go away once every four months for a break but I miss work when I'm not here, it's addictive."