A NATIONAL Trust volunteer warden has ‘retired’ from a second career in dry stone walling – at the age of 85.

Former solicitor Eric Shorrocks moved to Arnside when he retired from the Land Registry just over a quarter of a century ago.

Both he and his wife, Marnie, became volunteer wardens with the Arnside and Silverdale National Trust and began work on Arnside Knott, clearing scrub and picking up litter.

But after finding many dry stone walls in a state of disrepair, Eric decided to find out how to construct a traditional wall and begin rebuilding work.

It has been estimated that he has been responsible for the reconstruction of more than 2.5 kilometres of walls in the areas, very largely single handed.

Over the years, he has trained others through the Dry Stone Walling Association (DSWA) and for the last three years has been the official ‘gang master’ of the so called Knotters – a small group of volunteer wallers.

Increasingly suffering from waller’s back, he has reluctantly decided to hang up his walling hammer, and at a ceremony at Sizergh Castle local NT ranger Alan Ferguson, said Eric, more than anyone else, had made the Knott pastures stock proof.

“Everyone walking on the Knott should be grateful for Eric’s efforts over many years,” he said.