Hardworking fathers can still read their children a bedtime story in their absence, thanks to a new invention by a Kingston father-of-two.
Chris Coombs, 44, has come up with a personalised audio book that fathers can record through the internet and email to their offspring at home.
He came up with the idea in 2001, after being called away from Kingston to visit his father, who had fallen ill in Canada.
His daughter Mia, now seven, had been born the day after the September 11 attacks in America and Mr Coombs was about to board a plane.
He said: “I wanted to reassure my four-year-old daughter that I had to leave the country for a few weeks but everything was fine.
“As an audio mixer and dubbing editor I recorded myself reading a story and then added sound effects and prompts.”
He discussed the idea with four other friends who often missed out on bedtimes stories and fivedads.com was born.
Mr Coombs, who lives with his wife and two daughters in Durlston Road, said: “You have a finite amount of time with a little one and if you miss it, it’s gone.
“People are working hard to provide as best they can for their family. There’s no substitute for being there of course, but we have created a solution where if you needed it, it’s there.”
So far, 12 children’s stories have been created, including Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs, but more titles are planned in the future.
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