CRICKET lover and craftsman Graham Sparks, who runs a furniture business at the Longroom Barn, Tonedale Mill, has just completed a job that had extra special appeal to him.

Visitors to his workshop-showroom will know from the number of bats and other cricket-related items at his premises of his passion for the sport.

So when Graham received an SOS call from Somerset Cricket Museum about a bench in need of repair he was in his element.

The bench had previously been used for seating at the Nursery End at Lord’s between 1929-89 before being acquired by Somerset Cricket Museum, which had placed it outside by the museum entrance.

Sadly, in the last 31 years, the bench deteriorated and part of one of the seat rails had started to rot away.

Graham drove to the County Ground to pick up the bench and two weeks later returned it, restored to its former glory, ready for another 60 years of service.

He said: “I was delighted to be able to carry out this work as a token gesture to Somerset County Cricket Club for all the pleasure they have given to me and my family over the years.

“I had to replace one of the nine-foot slats and burn off the old paint on the iron work, and refurbish the original western cedar timbers to give it a new lease of life for many years to come.”

RICHARD WALSH