AT 25 years old, Alexander Ward has achieved what those twice his age could only dream of.

Not only has the former Colchester schoolboy been running the web design business he started at the tender age of 17, he is also a crime fighter in his spare time and still seems to find time to spend with his girlfriend, friends and family.

He says it has come with hard work and determination and, Alex admitted, an injection of youthful ignorance about starting a business.

“It was an uphill struggle,” said the owner of Red Tiger Design. “If I was starting a business now I would make sure I had the capital to do it, but I started with nothing and worked from the ground up. I went around introducing myself to prospective clients and my first client was an engineering firm in Birmingham, a contact I got from a friend.

“Doing this first job built up my confidence and pretty much all of our work since then has been through word of mouth.”

Initially working on his fledgling business in his spare time while working Alex soon discovered he wanted to be his own boss. After completing a course in construction design at Colchester Institute – in which he came top of the class – Alex left his job to focus on Red Tiger Design full time.

Taking a business unit at Waldegraves Business Park, on Mersea Island, where he was living, he was able to start building his business, with help from the Colchester Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea).

But as the credit crunch took hold and clients slashed their budgets, work dropped and Alex was forced to give up the unit and work from home, by which time he had moved to Agnes Silverside Close, in Colchester.

Business is picking up and Alex, who is once again looking for office space, but this time in Colchester, is sponsoring the national Beauty Awards for the second year running.

He said: “I never thought I would go into the beauty market. Being a man as well, my beauty products are limited to shower gel,” he laughed.

The event, to be held at the London Aquarium, will attract the big name brands and Red Tiger Design is one of its two main sponsors.

Alex is now looking to approach the motor industry, an area he tried last year, but could not break as a result of the looming recession.

At its core, Red Tiger works on brand and design for trade rather than consumers, and logo work for all types of businesses, dealing with everything from print work, web design and development, through to photography.

Helping Alex is head designer James Willis and the pair use three sub-contractors to meet work demands.

Giving back to the community is at the forefront of Alex’s mind and he takes part in charity work. This year’s chosen charity is St Helena Hospice, for which Red Tiger designed a website and helped to raise funds.

This community-minded streak continues with Alex’s role as a part time special constable with Essex Police in Colchester. Having joined about six months ago, he gives about 20 hours week to the role.

“I have wanted to do something like this since I was a kid and I absolutely love it,” he explained. “The reason I do it is to make a difference in my community.

“I deal with horrible things such as sexual assaults, domestic violence and drunk people. Then I come home and really enjoy my job.”

But he insists he still manages to fit in socialising with friends and his girlfriend, hiking and walking the dog. It’s not a normal scenario for a 25-year-old, but Alex admitted: “I’m not a fan of normal.

“I want to be in control of what I do. I am ambitious and I always wanted to make a difference in what I did.”