The Chemy Hill, Brownhills

I was bored one Thursday evening in 1982. The lads next door asked me if I wanted to go fishing with them. They gave me an old rod and maggots. We set off at 5.30 pm and walked from the Avenues to the Wyrley canal. We sat under the road bridge and ate sandwiches and we had a flask of tea.

The Chemical Hill, or Chemy Hill, was factory units alongside the canal. It was smelly because of the open-casting. The units made car parts. I smoked a pipe so the smell did not bother me.

The following day I bought a fishing licence. I went back a couple of days later and caught a small roach. I found fishing relaxing and it became a hobby for three or four years.