Paul was born in 1976. Four years later, he emigrated with his parents to New Zealand. It was here he first developed a love for the outdoors, spending much time in the wild places of the North Island. He returned to Britain in his teens and found employment as an itinerant farm labourer. In his early twenties, Paul took an apprenticeship with a Dorset woodsman in an isolated coppice and began his journey into woodsmanship. Paul has earned his living from the woodlands and hedgerows of the West Country ever since.
 
Paul was introduced to social media by his daughters in 2020, as a means for promoting his work and passion for the countryside and rural craft. Known as the westcountry_hedgelayer, Paul now has over 180,000 engaged followers on Instagram.