Tony McIntosh from Wiggenhall St Germans has poetry published

A Wiggenhall St Germans man has released a poetry book inspired by his father.

Tony McIntosh started writing poems after retiring last year and has collated enough to have published a 94-page book full of poems and limericks.

The book, named ‘Assorted Musings’ was released on July 21 and includes a poem, ‘The Oh Dear Saga’ written about Tony’s late father John McIntosh.

“I would say I was inspired by people like my dad who now has sadly passed away but he would come out with some statements,” Tony said.

He added: “He lived with us for a couple of years and was in poor health, he would constantly say ‘oh dear’ which was basically a euphemism for ‘I’m in pain’ but he’d never say if he was in pain.

“Some of the things he’d come out with I encapsulated in that poem. He was an inspiration and I also write about basic life in general too, the Queen's Jubilee last year and observations on life really.”

The 66-year-old wrote his first poem ten years ago but decided to write more since retiring.

Tony, who has lived in St Germans for 30 years, said: “I got in touch with a publisher and they sent a lovely letter back saying they thought my poems would appeal to a wide-ranging audience and that they were well-structured.

“That gave me a bit of heart really and I signed the contract.”

Assorted Musings is available to buy online via Waterstones, WHSmith and Amazon.