A MAN from Broxted was feeling chipper after scooping second place in a national woodworking contest. Peter Pop Stock, 71, of Cranham Road, heard last month he had been awarded the runner up place in the Woodworker of the Year competition that is run by

A MAN from Broxted was feeling chipper after scooping second place in a national woodworking contest.

Peter 'Pop' Stock, 71, of Cranham Road, heard last month he had been awarded the runner up place in the Woodworker of the Year competition that is run by The Woodworker magazine.

Mr Stock took up carpentry as a hobby after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 1985.

After undergoing a course of chemotherapy, doctors took the decision to carry out a laryngectomy.

Speaking on his behalf, his wife, Angie said she was thrilled about her husband's award.

"We received a letter telling us he had won and he was absolutely flabbergasted," she said. "He is an extremely talented man and has been through a lot with his health and so I am chuffed that his work has been recognised in this way."

The father of two entered the competition after he saw it advertised in the magazine back in October last year.

To enter, he was required to submit photographs and plans of one particular item he had made.

He chose a grandfather clock built from English oak that he had designed and built himself which he estimates to have taken approximately 360 hours to make.

However, he had doubts as to how far he would get in the competition as no plans of the clock existed because he works entirely from his mind.

It would appear that the judges were suitably impressed with the clock's unusual cylindrical design for this not to be a problem and he has already received his prize of a cordless drill from one of the competition sponsors Einhell Tools.

"Pop never sells or shows his work at exhibitions. He just loves creating and working with wood," said Mrs Stock.

"The first thing he made was a side board which was lovely, but my favourite piece is a three-tiered dumb waiter table.

"He made it when he was going through the radiotherapy treatment and said it was the thing that kept him sane.

"Working on it gave him the drive to carry on so it is a really sentimental piece of furniture.

"I'm so very proud of my husband. With what he has done and what he has been through. I, and many other people for whom he has made furniture, will always cherish what he has given us," she added.

Spurred on by this success, Mr Stock has already entered one of his lamps into another competition.