Couple are drumming up business

An enterprising couple from Stafford are drumming up business with the stars.

Jobeky Drums, based on the Tollgate Industrial Estate, is chalking up a growing number of professional endorsements, including Jackson Ellis, session drummer for The Saturdays, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

The company's custom-made electronic drums are also used by Johnny Jenkins who has worked with The Streets for the past seven years as well as Lily Allen. Colin Ackroyd, who runs the business with wife Jane, said: "We are proud to have such amazingly talented endorsees of our products.

"Between them all, they have drummed for an enormous number of rock bands, metal bands, pop bands, jazz bands, played at hundreds of festivals, had thousands of hours worth of radio play, toured the world and appeared on many television programmes."

The couple opened the shop five years ago and hold an annual drumming festival at the Staffordshire County Showground. Mr Ackroyd, aged 43, who has himself been drumming since the age of four, also holds drum clinics.

Although electronic, his drums look, sound and feel just like real acoustic drums – but with controllable noise levels.

He has now been making drums for 20 years and opened his shop in Brindley Close five years ago. The business sells a wide range of complete drum kits, ranging in price from £300 to more than £2,000 as well as parts.