A MILKING stool made in an estate carpentry shop 60 years ago will be on display at the Overbury Roots and Fruits Festival this weekend.

And there to tell people about it will be the man who probably made it.

Sigi Charrach, aged 80, worked in the Overbury Estate carpentry shop from 1942 to 1990 and still lives in the village.

He recalls: "We made several of these stools for the Land Army girls who worked in the milking parlour in the Home Farm dairy and it is quite likely this is one I made at the time."

The stool has a number of signatories on it and Mr Charrach said: "There were several Land Army girls working on the farm and I think they all signed up, along with a number of other people."

He added: "It's nice to see that it is still around. History will be portrayed at the festival and this is part of our history."

The stool, said Penelope Bossom, one of the organisers of the festival this Saturday and Sunday, was presented to Mary Collier, a Land Girl who worked in the dairy at Home Farm from 1943 to 1945.

"Sadly she died," she said, "but her sons brought it along to a reunion we had last year of the Land Army girls who worked at Overbury Farms."

Mrs Bossom said she hoped some of the people who put their signatures on the stool would be able to visit Overbury to see it during the festival which is open from 11am to 5pm both days. It is free for under 16s, £4 for one day and £5 for a two-day pass.

Further details are available on 07000 177177 or visit www.overbury.org.