WHO knows how life would have turned out for Sidney Williams if he had been allowed to go to London Art College.

But times were different and circumstances wouldn't allow it, so the talented 88-year-old, of Well Lane in Weaverham, had to content himself by doing a number of correspondence courses, for which he received much praise and a diploma from London Art College.

Drawing and painting have been his life - he's done paintings, caricatures, posters, drawings of buildings, menus - the list is endless.

And members of the public were able to enjoy his work when they visited an extremely successful well-attended art exhibition in Weaverham, on September 18, which raised money for St Luke's Hospice in Winsford.

It all began when Sidney won a national art competition aged just nine years old, when he was living near Wrexham.

His prize was 20 lessons in art from the British and Dominions School of Drawing.

"I used to get in trouble at school because I never did my homework, I was too busy doing my lessons," said Sidney.

After attending Denbighshire Art School he became a corporal during the war where he was stationed at Abergalnzny.

Once the war was over he worked in the civil service as a senior in the architectural design team where he produced military exercise cover designs and book illustrations.

He spent all his working life as an Architectural draughtsman and moved to Weaverham 38 years ago when he worked in Manchester.

One of his favourite pastimes is looking at the television and drawing caricatures of famous people.

He has also done many drawing of Methodist churches around the Northwich area.

Sidney added: "There's never a dull moment. I really enjoy it."