Family want statue for Shrewsbury coracle legend granddad

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.”