I don’t believe it! The not so serious side of the industry


©BBC


A pat on the back! POOR old Market


Harborough Rugby Club had to cancel a host of games after a herd of cows took residence on their pitch.


The bovines had escaped from a neighbouring farmer’s field and spent over two days doing what cows do best - leaving cow pats and creating huge four inch deep divots in the turf.


Pete stars on TV ...


Former Old Trafford Head Groundsman, Pete Marron, was given equal billing alongside such illustrious names as Piers Morgan, Stephen Fry, James Corden, Darren Gough and David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, in a BBC Inside Sport special on Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff.


During the forty-five minute programme, Pete recalls the first time he met Freddie when he was asked to take in the “next Ian Botham” as a lodger at his groundside home.


“When he knocked on the door, I saw this giant of a lad,” recalled Pete. “He said, ‘hi, I’m Andrew Flintoff and


I’m apparently staying with you’.”


Pete also recalled the time when, immediately after the thrilling drawn Ashes Test of 2005, there was a knock on his mess room door and in walked Freddie, still in his whites, to share a beer with him and his staff.


It’s good to see groundsmen getting some recognition on high profile programmes.


Whilst Freddie might not have reached the dizzy heights of Sir Ian, he certainly had his moments. Not bad for a fat lad!


It’s pink up north!


THE freezing weather during November and December had profound effects on industry workers - even in the north!


Pictured adorning a snuggly, and rather fetching, pink winter hat, is none other than bitter drinking thoroughbred Yorkshire man, Steve Teale, Sales Director - VFM Grassline.


No other caption is required, although we were rather envious of the ‘two’ tins of Quality Street!


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The pitch is used by the under 15s and a local school team.


Clubhouse manager, Gary Brewster, said that there was no way the pitch could be used, and that it would be ‘some time’ before it was playable again. “There is no way we can allow youngsters to use the pitches. There is cow muck everywhere,” he said. “We are taking advice on the best way of removing


the muck to ensure there is no lasting contamination.”


“We are obviously concerned about E.coli, which is common in cow muck, and the possibility of tuberculosis. It is going to disappoint scores of youngsters who will miss out on games.”


The club referred the incident to environmental health officers at the council, who said it was a private matter for the club to resolve as it owned the land!


Is it a boat? Is it a car? Is it a lawnmower?


WHEN Bosham resident, John Hinton, needed a way of getting from his house to his boat, moored in Chichester harbour, he turned to ‘stuff he already had in his garage’ according to BBC South Today.


One dinghy, one Murray lawn tractor, a homemade rudder assembly, £1500 and three years later, John’s vehicle has taken to the water.


“I put the tractor in the dinghy and the wheels through the hull,” said John. “The cutter motion of the mowing deck drives the prop at the back.”


Once his amphibious (some might say, ambitious) lawnmower was completed, John was on the phone to the DVLA in Portsmouth to have it properly registered.


They couldn’t decide what


category to put it in,” said John. “In the end they agreed that it would be best categorised as an invalid carriage, so long as it didn’t go above 8mph.”


Not surprisingly, the vehicle is no longer able to cut grass, but it sure makes a mess of seaweed!


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