Notice Board
Finally in 2019 , I attended formal training in other aspects of locksmithing and , at the end of that year , I started trading as a locksmith . It was in 2023 that I opened my own Locksmith business : Northwest Lock & Key .
Tell us about your fighting career
I did karate and Jiu-Jitsu as a kid , and achieved my first black belt while I was at University , and went on to achieve my 2nd Dan in both Karate and Jiu-Jitsu . The Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) and Mixed Martial Arts ( MMA ) were not that well known in the UK in the 90s , but there were random DVDs from shows in Russia and Brazil of ‘ no-holds-barred ’ fighting appearing in Our Price records , followed by the first ever UFC events in the USA .
I began training in more competitive martial arts such as kickboxing and judo , and eventually years later Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . I spent a few years training and competing in regional events , and started training full time in MMA in 2003 , having my first semi-pro fights in 2005 .
I went ‘ pro ’ after a couple of semi-pro fights and retired with a professional record of 6-6 . I had four Pro British Title fights , winning the Total Combat British Lightweight Title in 2008 from Curt Warburton and losing it to Andrew Fisher in 2009 . Fans of MMA and the UFC will know some of my opponents , as they went on to fight in the UFC , Bellator and other big shows , such as Ross Pearson , Paul Sass , Rob Sinclair , Graham Turner , and the above Curt and Andrew .
This was a chapter in my life to be proud of , but life is about moving forward and finding new interests or , in my case , reigniting my inner passion for puzzle-solving through locks .
A fighting passion for locksmithing
I love what I do , and I work hard to be the best at it . Bringing the same competitive attitude and work ethic into locksmithing has definitely helped me in that regard . Within just three years , Will is proud to have a five-star review record on Trustatrader in Greater Manchester and beyond , with hundreds of reviews of his work .
About Northwest Lock & Key
Northwest Lock & Key is dedicated to providing topnotch locksmith solutions in Salford , Manchester and surrounding areas , serving both commercial and residential . Specialists in emergency lockout assistance , lock repairs , key duplication , and security system installations . Will says , “ I like a challenge , when people are locked out of doors , safes , shipping containers , I can help them .”
The art of cracking safes is a rare skill for locksmiths as it is extremely difficult and takes years of learning . Will commented , “ Last year I started doing high security safes , not the specialist kind seen in high street banks , but key-operated commercial and residential safes . I have opened everything from safes in homes and local businesses , to high cash value safes and high-security vault doors for jewellers .”
Will and Northwest Lock & Key are ready 24 hours a day . Find out more about the services offered : Will Burke will @ northwestlockandkey . co . uk 07891451280 northwestlockandkey . co . uk
We do love to hear about journeys into locksmithing . Did you turn a passion for picking locks into a business ? Did you have a completely different career that led you to locksmithing ? What unusual hobbies do you enjoy outside of ‘ office hours ’?
Get in touch with gemma @ cvgroup . co . uk
FEBRUARY 2024
9
Issue Takeover locksmithjournal . co . uk