Stone me! Shropshire's British champion aims at world skimming title

Gary Bailey won the men's competition at the British Stone Skimming Championships held at Walcot Lake in Lydbury North, south west Shropshire – and his success has led to a number of interesting invites.

Not least is the fact that the Shrewsbury father-of-two will be heading to Easdale Island in the western isles of Scotland to compete in the World Stone Skimming Championships on September 25, which will see him up against skimmers from as far away as the USA.

The world championships will be held on Easdale Island in the Inner Hebrides on September 25.

"I was also invited down to Llandrindod Wells by the Guinness World Record team, who brought elite skimmers together to see if a world record could be broken," he said. "I didn't break a record on the day, but it was great to be invited," he said.

The 44-year-old care worker and landscape gardener skimmed a stone 83 metres at Walcot Lake on August 21 to win the adult men's category at The British Championships at the lake near Bishop's Castle is a family day in aid of Prostate Cancer UK – but also attracts serious competition, with the record set in previous years as 92 metres.

Gary said "This was my third time. I've had second position before, but this was year I came first. I've always had a fantastic throw since I was at school – I used to throw the javelin.

"A couple of years ago I thought 'I wonder if there are any competitions for throwing round here?'"

He said he did an internet search and one of the first things that came up was the championships virtually on his doorstep, so he went along, he said.

"It must be in the family because last year I took my daughters (Emily, 14, and Jessica, 11) and they both won awards in their age category.

"This year my dad Melvyn came with me and was second in the over 65s."

He said he was looking forward to the world championships, but is hoping nerves didn't scupper his chances. "It all takes place in a disused slate quarry, where the back wall is only 63 metres away. That's well within my capability.Anyone who hits the wall goes through to a final. But you only get three stones and there will be a crowd of about 600 watching, so I've just got to keep calm or it could be a wasted journey," he said.

"I'm very much hoping I can do it – I don't want to go all the way to Scotland just to throw three stones and then go home again."