AN ILKLEY man is on the crest of a wave after two radio stars reunited him with a piece of his past.

Frazer Irwin last stepped aboard the historic frigate HMS Trincomalee as a 12-year-old schoolboy determined to make it as a deck hand for the week.

He said: "At the school I was at, in Kent, about 60 to 80 of us would go to Portsmouth at the end of the summer term for a week on the Trincomalee, which was then known as HMS Foudroyant. They were supposed to teach us how to tie knots, navigate a rowing boat and all the things deemed necessary for a seaman in Victorian times and of the day."

The experience of life on the open waves on the warship made a deep impression and stayed fresh in Mr Irwin's mind.

Mr Irwin, 54, said: "It was the age of the ship, which struck me. If you have not experienced that type of thing it is difficult to explain. In the years since, I realised that it wasn't just any old sailing frigate but the oldest frigate still afloat in the British navy."

Although Mr Irwin decided not to take to the sea professionally as he never learnt to swim. More than 40 years later, Mr Irwin who still has the certificate to prove he successfully completed the week, heard that the ship was to be refurbished on Radio Cleveland.

Mr Irwin immediately contacted radio presenters, Stuart McFarland and Keith Proud. To his surprise they procured him a piece of the ship, as it underwent a £5 million refurbishment (pictured left). Mr Irwin said: "I phoned the radio and the rest is history. The presenters obtained a piece of timber for me. I feel privileged. Now that I have got a piece of the old ship I have also got part of naval history.

"The experience all those years ago made me realise the effort that seamen put into defending this country."

Mr Irwin was so pleased with his piece of history that he bought a flagstone at the Darwin Gardens Millennium Green to commemorate the ship's refurbishment. Mr Irwin said: "I thought it would be a superb idea to buy a stone for the trust."

The ship is now a museum based at Jackson Dock, in Hartlepool.

The Friends of HMS Trincomalee are interested with making contact with people, like Mr Irwin, who spent time aboard the ship as sea cadets, either in the 1940's or later.

The address to write to is The Hon Secretary, The Friends of HMS Trincomalee, P.O. Box 1817, Hartlepool, TS24 7YE.

(41-033-AH)