YOUR Memory Lane column has helped me get in touch with many of my father's old pupils and also old pupils of mine from St Paul's School.

It has been a very rewarding experience. My father Bill "Polly" Watkin was very special - he is a legend in Worcester for his work in sport as well as his teaching at St Martin's Boys School.

At this time of the year, I hear from many of his old pupils who have contacted me since reading your paper. It has been of great comfort to me to know how much they admired "Polly."

Only a day or so ago, I had a long phone call from an old pupil who kept saying "I loved your father" and there is no doubt that he did leave an impression on many of his pupils. "Polly" loved all forms of sport.

If he was not playing cricket then he would be umpire and if that post was filled he would be scorer.

I think of some of the sportsmen with whom he was connected remember Frank Moss junior, son of Frank Moss of Aston Villa. I recall father taking him to play in an England Schools trial and having to send dad a telegram to say if he had been selected.

Sadly, he wasn't, but he went on to play for Villa as did his brother, Amos.

I have been connected with sport all my life. I was very involved in football and also formed the Herefordshire Amateur Athletics Association, which reminds me of an athletics meeting father arranged on a field at Claines.

He marked out the quarter mile track by pacing it - he could be pretty accurate - and when the day of the races came there was a mile handicap. To this day, I can see the runner standing on the "scratch" mark.

It was Jack Holden the English marathon champion. He was wearing his vest with the Union Jack on it. He had come from Birmingham to take part.... how times have changed.

Worcester will always have a very special place in my heart.

NOEL WATKIN,

Kings Lynn,

Norfolk.