88-year-old painter and decorator reveals his lockdown project

Vince Battersby, who is still working, was told to shield due to his diabetes, so he thought he would keep himself busy by painting his shed.

He designed a range of flowers, to make up for the fact his garden is purely grass, and added bright stripes in between.

Neighbours have commented on his colourful project and one long-standing customer was so impressed, she called us at her local paper.

Vince said: “It was something to do while I was in lockdown. I have always been artistic. The garden has nothing but grass. There used to be at tree but the ivy got it, so I had to take it out.”

Originally from Yorkshire, Vince moved to Worthing in 1969. He had just come out of the army, where he served for five years as a despatch rider in the Royal Signals, mainly in Germany.

He started off at a firm in Angmering but then became self-employed. He still has his regular customers, including Marchboard Ltd in Littlehampton.

Audrey Davies, 90, from Ferring, has being employing Vince as her decorator for about 25 years.

She said: “I was absolutely astounded when he showed me a picture of his shed. He has painted it so meticulously.

“He is a modest and unassuming man, an accomplished craftsman. This beautiful, handpainted piece of modernistic artwork left me awestruck.

“I feel that for a man who has spent all his life painting and decorating the ‘normal’ at the behest of his local clients but has nurtured this gift of artistic expression is a surprising and extraordinary achievement which deserves recognition.”

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