IT all started for Herefordshire table-tennis legend Mark Owen, aged just 13, when he won ‘Boy of the Week’ at Butlins in 1974.

And almost four decades later, the 52-year-old is still producing the goods, after picking up his 23rd Herefordshire County Championships men's singles title.

“It’s great, you don’t see many people managing this at my age,” joked Owen, after his victory in the tournament at Queen Elizabeth Humanities College in Bromyard.

“I suppose the secret behind it was because of my friend Michael Owens and his dad Richard, who had a table tennis club. “We started playing there and ended up going around the country.”

Mark, who represented England eight times at the ages of 20 and 21, admitted: “Our experiences moving around and playing outside the county is probably the reason why I am still at the level I am now and what makes us a lot better than a lot of the locals.”

After being ‘Boy of the Week’ at Butlins, just two years later, Owen made his mark on the Herefordshire county scene by winning the first of his now 23 Herefordshire men’s singles titles.

The teenager managed to defeat the at-the-time 44-year-old Nick Prosser, in the final.

“It was obviously a major achievement being so young and I was over the moon with the win,” said the champion.

His 23 titles have now come over a 37-year period, but his last one is extra special after gaining revenge over rival Ola Andersson.

“He had won the three previous titles and although I didn't play in two of those, I lost to him last year so it’s nice to win it back,” added the Belmont man.

“Our rivalry will remain as long as we can keep playing,” said Owen, who lost to his rival in the veterans’ event on the night of his men’s singles victory in March.

The 52-year-old suffered injury problems in the match and confirmed: “I had a hip replacement 18 months ago and it was my other one that was playing up.

“I kept going and telling myself that when it hurt I shouldn’t get into that position again.

“But when you’re concentrating you forget and I kept getting the short, sharp pain,” added Owen.

“I now have an operation on my hip in two months time.”

Although his hip problem didn’t stop him finishing his match, Owen confirmed that he has had to quit one match before because of a horrible injury.

“I was rushing around during play and when running back towards the table, I slipped and my chest slammed into the table. I went down, was out of breath and couldn’t continue. It turned out I had broken my ribs!”

With a career stretching over 41 years, the table-tennis legend admitted: “I want to keep playing as long as I can.

“I did stop for a two-year period but decided to keep going and luckily it has paid off,” said Owen.

“I’ve already had to quit squash but I’ll only pack up table-tennis when the body finally gives up on me.

“And even then I’ll never give it up because I’ll continue to coach the kids.”