I lived initially at a small farm at Halmer End, five miles northeast of Newcastle-under-Lyme. After university and agricultural college I worked for eleven years on a farm near Crewe before running a council farm at Sheriffhales with my wife Sandra.

Five and a half years later we moved to The Hollies where we built up the stock numbers to 250 cows and 200 followers, which kept us very busy. Despite this Sandra was a Councillor in High Offley for twenty years. With her retirement from the Council and our decision to sell our herd, I became a Councillor in 2015.

We have three grown up children and are grandparents.

Our joint hobbies include travel and running bars. The latter raises money for the Village Hall and for young farmers where with the help of others who also give their time freely, a considerable sum is raised. Keeping fit is also a priority so we attend keep-fit classes at the Village Hall and barn boot camp at The Hollies. I also try to play to play football once a week.