Daft as a brush: Painters decorate eight homes by mistake

Painters Wayne Collins and Jack Tinkling have decorated eight properties by mistake in the last three years.

Wayne has been sacked "a few times" by boss Duane Knott after painting seven wrong homes.

Once the 49-year-old started painting the right house but finished on the wrong one.

But Duane keeps rehiring him because he is a good painter - when he gets the right property.

Jack, 30, has only been working for Duane a year and has made the mistake once.

Now Duane has taken to filming Wayne's blunders and posting them on Facebook.

His latest misstep came when Duane had to take a phone call.

While they were working in The Bryn, near Blackwood, Caerphilly county, in July, Duane had to take a call from another customer.

Wayne, from Blackwood, was asked to start painting.

When Duane returned, the owner of Combat Property Maintenance, saw Wayne had started decorating the house next door instead.

Filming the conversation, Duane pointed out to him he had already covered a window on the home they were meant to paint with plastic sheeting.

The footage has been viewed more than 176,000 times on Facebook.

Duane, also from Blackwood, said: "Honestly, it is starting to be embarrassing now.

"Unfortunately both homeowners were out at the time so nobody was there to stop him."

The 34-year old admitted he was "almost" used to the errors.

"This has happened about eight times in the last couple of years.

"I've asked other companies if they've had the same issue with their staff painting the wrong buildings and they've just said, 'No, that's unbelievable'.

"I'm almost used to it now. I don't get angry like I used to. The first couple of times were heart-dropping."

The mistakes mean the owners of the wrongly painted homes get a free paint job.

"The first time, I was just shocked and worried what the house owner would say," said Duane.

When Wayne gets things right, his work is "second to none".

He admitted it was "a bit of a headache that I don't really need".

"It brings a bit of stress to the company in man hours and paint costs."

Duane has told Wayne that he will be videoing future mistakes and uploading them to social media for fun.

Meanwhile, Wayne said he has "no idea" why he keeps making the same mistake.

"It must just be me being a bit thick sometimes," he said.

"Duane has sacked me a few times, but it's his business so he has every right. I think he brings me back because he knows I do a good job when I get the right house."