Things that break normally fall into two categories.

The 'things that you can mend yourself' category (lightbulbs, fuses, taps); and the 'don't touch with a bargepole' category (anything that can catch fire or remove one of your extemities, or both).

The first group are easy to deal with, the second lot you just call the professionals. But what about the stuff that falls into that difficult grey area? Those things that you feel you sould be able to fix yourself but wouldn't know where to start. Pushbikes, personal computers, shelving... innocent looking items which can ruin your life if you dare to start taking them apart.

Well, fortunately this gap in the market has been recognised and there are now services that can help you out. The Handy Squad, for example, sport natty yellow uniforms and nip around town on matching scooters. Plus they'll turn up at a specific time and they'll redo any job you're not happy with.

And then there are Computer Angels. Another scooter-riding bunch but this time of the techy variety (we're sure they breed them in testtubes).

And for your bike there's Fluid Cycles, a maintenance service that comes to your door, so you never have to get oil on your best pair of jeans ever again.

If your clever you'll pay attention so you can do it yourself next time. If you're anyting like us you'll nip down the pub and then tell everyone you fixed it all.