Family want statue for coracle legend granddad

Wendy Thorne's grandfather made a name for himself rescuing footballs from the River Severn

The family of a man who used to retrieve stray footballs from the River Severn in a coracle is calling for a statue to be made in his honour.

Fred Davies became well-known in Shrewsbury for launching onto the water when balls were kicked out of Shrewsbury Town's former ground, Gay Meadow, for more than four decades until the 1980s.

It was some feat, since coracles are circular vessels that use a single oar to steer and paddle.

"I can go abroad and we mention about football and where we're from… and everyone has heard of granddad - so it just goes to show it was a unique job that he actually did," said his granddaughter, Wendy Thorne.

"What we think would be lovely is a statue of some kind, either at the football ground or somewhere by the river, just to keep a fitting tribute of him and keep his memory alive.

"We really think he's a legend, and he deserves to be remembered in that way."

The Coracle Pub in Shrewsbury, next to the River Severn, pays tribute to Mr Davies

Ms Thorne said her grandfather was about 72 when he gave up the job, and used to get paid about 50p per ball.

"He loved it, it was his way of getting in to watch the match as well," she told the BBC.

"He's legendary for doing it.

"Even on my granddad's headstone, he's actually got the picture of the coracle on there."

Meanwhile, his memory is still being kept alive in other ways.

The Coracle Pub in Shrewsbury has a photograph of him on a wall inside. On Saturday, The Coracle Society will hold a race in the Severn in Mr Davies' name.

"It'll bring it all back... when granddad was on the river," said Ms Thorne.

"There's going to be some fun, there's going to be some laughs, because there's going to be a lot of people probably going in the river."