'Croquet is like chess or snooker and keeps me fit at 92'

"It is like chess or snooker in a way." Julian Remfry is a dab hand with his mallet, when it comes to that most quintessential of English sports, croquet.

Now 92, he picked the game up soon after he retired, 40 years ago, and attributes it to keeping him fit and healthy, and preoccupying his mind since his wife died.

A regular at Shrewsbury Croquet Club, he smiles as he admits it lets him spend a lot of time outside "at a leisurely pace".

He is also keen to emphasise its appeal beyond the stereotypical image of the English upper class, playing at a stately home.

"It is like chess or snooker in a way because you have to think in advance and you have to be able to place the balls where you want them," he said.

Remfry and his wife moved to the Shropshire Hills when they retired and found out about the sport from an advert in their local post office's window.

Formerly a keen golfer, he started playing the sport and joined the club in Shrewsbury in 1990, since becoming it's president.

Remfry, from Pontesbury, said it was a great game that did not live up to the stereotypes.

"It's a game that lasts three hours but half of that time, you're sitting down," he joked.

He said the sport allowed him to "meet nice people" and "take his mind off his other problems."

"Having a chance to kind of be outside and exercise, I'm very fortunate to be able to [play the sport.] It's been been something I've been doing for a long time now," Remfry said.

"I did realise it was not only tactical when you had to have skill and competitiveness and also being outside. It's a sunny, summer afternoon, I can't think of anything nicer."

David Hart has been with Shrewsbury Croquet Club, at Monkmoor Recreation Ground, for three years after taking part in a taster session put on by the club.

"I needed a new challenge in my life. I'm not as fast a runner as I used to be, I'm not as good a footballer as I used to be, why not give it a go," Hart said.

"I can honestly say, from the first shot I took in the first coaching session, I knew I was going to love it."

He added he believed younger people should not be scared away from the sport, because of the older members.

"The average age of the club members here is a little older than the national average I would say, but if you look at the current world champions and British team etc, they're generally people in their 30s and 40s," Hart said.

"If you remember crown green bowling from many years ago, it tended to be just the old people who seemed to be playing on television.

"Now the Commonwealth champions are 30 year olds and 40 year olds and probably even 20 something year olds."

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