The man from the Golden Valley had achieved a great victory on German soil. NIGEL HEINS recalls Leslie Goodwin.

CHURCH bells rang out over the Golden Valley on an autumn day almost half a century ago to hail the feat of a Herefordshire world champion.

There was a massive welcome home on October 13, 1958, for the man with the golden plough.

Leslie Goodwin was the county's pride and joy. With victor's wreath of laurels around his neck he proudly carried the huge golden plough trophy he won after becoming ploughing champion of the world.

There were many celebrations. In one at Peterchurch village hall, friends and neighbours from the parishes of the valley and surrounding hills drank the champion's health in champagne cider.

President of the Escleyside Agricultural Society, W.A.R.I Manley, told him: "Your name will live forever in this district."

Leslie Goodwin, who farmed with his father at Great House, Dorstone, was the first Englishman ever to win the championship.

He began his triumphant homecoming at Hereford station, where large crowds saw Mrs E Wood Cole hang the victor's laurels around his neck.

Then, champion and glittering trophy were taken to the Town Hall. He was seated on a specially-adapted Ransomes plough mounted on a farm trailer hauled by a bright new Fordson tractor.

Tractor and plough were of the type used by Leslie Goodwin when he defeated the champions of 15 other countries at Stuttgart in Germany. Both were loaned by RP Ravenhill Ltd.

At many places on the route through Blueschool Street, Widemarsh Street and High Town groups of admirers waved a welcome.

In front of the Town Hall there were hundreds of people. Fourteen trumpeters of the Junior Leaders' Regiment (Royal Artillery) sounded a welcoming fanfare and Alderman L J West introduced the plough king to the Mayor and Mayoress of Hereford, Mr and Mrs DJ Shaw.

After a civic reception in the assembly hall, everyone stood to give the champion three cheers and to sing "For he's a jolly good fellow."

More rapturous receptions awaited the 27-year-old, whose winning margin over Belfast's William McMillan in the final had been less than a quarter of a point.

At Peterchurch, the Escleyside Society, who had sent him to represent them in the British Championships in Scotland, had arranged their own welcome for the latest and most successful of a long line of ploughing champions from the area served by the society.

Near Urishay House, the farming hero remounted the victory trailer and acknowledged the cheering and clapping of more crowds assembled along the route to the village hall.

From the parish church the bells rang out and dared the dark sky above to dampen the joy of the country folk. Not a spot of rain fell.

The great man from Great House was thrilled by the reaction to his achievement.

"It is wonderful to be nearly home again. This welcome is more than I had expected and has touched me deeply."