Who saves lives, explores secret rooms and is a good luck charm for brides on their wedding day? Your local chimney sweep. Fiona Simpson, spent a day with Dartford chimney sweep, Clive Scott, to find out more.

Despite most people thinking the profession died out with the invention of central heating in the 70s, there are around 900 sweeps cleaning flues across the country.

"You do turn up to some houses and the customer's sing but that's just the nature of the job," said Clive who looks little like Dick Van Dyke's Bert from Mary Poppins.

Aptly Mr Scott fell into the profession through sheer luck over a game of golf with a fellow chimney sweep while living in Essex.

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Clive Scott

He said: "When he said what he did I was fascinated and he asked if I wanted to spend a day with him.

"After that I said if he needed a hand I would be happy to come along and it went from there."

After moving to Dartford with his family in 2009, Mr Scott set up, Clive Scott Chimney Sweeps, covering Kent and south London four years ago.

Chimney sweeps often work seven days a week over the winter months, in a bid to keep residents safe when the cold hits.

At the Institute of Chimney Sweeps (ICS) in Maidstone, Mr Scott, and ICS is Training Centre Organiser Pete McCalla, highlight the importance of having chimneys swept.

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Pete McCalla at the ICS training centre in Maidstone

Mr McCalla, who runs monthly training courses for new sweeps said: "Chimney sweeps are saving people's lives.

"This prevents fires and allows deadly combustion gases to be safely vented through the chimney.

"Often it's something people don't really understand, you'll have people who had their chimney swept four years ago and wonder why they had a fire.

"Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, there's no real symptoms until you keel over.

"The problem isn't highlighted enough."

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and confusion.

Having a chimney swept at least once a year can help prevent faulty flues emitting the gas.

ICS have trained around 600 sweeps nationally in cleaning chimneys from big, old fashioned Inglenooks and Agas to wood burning stoves and monitor their progress every three years.

Mr Scott also works as a trainer and mentor at the Institute.

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Mr Scott cleans a wood-burning stove

Times have changed since small boys were sent to climb chimneys, cameras are now used to ensure nests are cleared properly and brushes attached to drills are used to thoroughly clean flues.

Mr Scott said: "A family in north Essex were installing a socket and knocked straight through into a hidden room.

"I was called to clean the chimney and we found old rods blocking it and a little boot on a ledge.

"We believe it was left as a mark of respect to a flue boy."

A similar boot was also found up a chimney in Ashford.

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A regular fairy godfather the chimney sweep grants wishes - traditionally a home-owner would run outside to see the sweeps brush pop out of the top of the chimney and make a wish.

He also appears at weddings, a 16th century tradition, supposed to bring good luck to the bride.

He said: "People think sweeping has died out but in some ways it's more popular than ever.

"It's not a job, it's a vocation.

"You're always seeing different things and meeting different people."