SMILE-A-MINUTE Leslie Phillips, has been a man devoted all his life to serving his beloved Dorchester.

He is proud of the county town and fully deserves the honour of being mayor for the fourth time.

I have grown up with Les, who was a busy blacksmith in Colliton Street and can vouch for the fact that the townspeople are proud of him.

Popular Les, a town councillor since 1965, could not stop advising, helping and organising, even as a child, and I recall the pleasurable years when he led his ‘gang’ from Victoria Park into soccer action against Fordington and Frome River youngsters on the waterworks fields – with coats as goalposts!

He played a big part in rewarding another town stalwart, Ken Aplin with a spade for his work as a so efficient secretary of the Dorchester Horticultural Society.

Les also donated a trophy for champion roses, which I had the pleasure of winning several times at Corn Exchange shows.

At local shows, he regularly appeared with his portable forge to knock out lucky horseshoes.

He has contributed to Dorchester’s well being in so many ways – as a keen official of Dorchester FC Supports Club, collecting draw money on match days; as a charity worker, often selling tickets from a tray in the main streets; taking a big interest in the town’s youth… Nothing has been too trivial for him.

Les has had two medical problems but he has never given in to them.

Les was at one time a much respected cricket umpire and there was none more happy when Dorchester FC won the Western League.

Well done, Les. You are a credit to Dorchester.

BRIAN COPP Clarence Road Weymouth