AN upset grandaughter has leapt to the defence of an old-time Thatto Heath cobbler, described as "grumpy old Mr Watkins" in a look-back article provided by veteran readers Harry Worthington and Norman Owen.

Mrs M. McLoughlin (nee Owen) of Nutgrove Road, St Helens, writes: "They evidently did not know him very well. He was a kind, hard-working man who would help anyone. He regularly let people have shoes; or he would repair their shoes, allowing them to pay weekly while knowing full well there was a chance he would not get paid. This did happen on numerous occasions.

"I'm sure that if he was grumpy it was because children had been rude or had been tormenting him".

Point taken, dear lady, and I'm pleased to present the other side to the picture.

However, in defence of Harry and Norman, it has to be remembered that they were recalling him from a purely childhood perpective. And they admit they were no angels when, as kids, they were shooed away from his cobbler's shop by that well known pre-war character from Leslie Road.