The Repair Shop

Today in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team work their magic on three cherished possessions, returning them to delighted owners.The first visitor of the day is Vicky Oakes. She's brought a mantelpiece clock she'd like horologist Steve Fletcher to take on. Her parents won the gold clock in a ballroom dancing competition. They danced together throughout their long happy marriage and competed in several amateur dancing championships, winning countless trophies but this particular clock was always treasured. Vicky lost her father several years ago and her mother, now in her 90s, suffers from dementia. Vicky believes seeing and hearing the clock ticking again might spark some lovely memories on the dance floor with her childhood sweetheart. The clock has been silent since Vicky was a teenager and Steve must clean and recondition every part of the mechanism to bring it back to life.Next to arrive is Iain McPherson with a reminder of a heroic past that will test the mettle of silversmith Brenton West. He's brought a bookend that features a statue of an SAS soldier. It was awarded to Iain's father, who served in the SAS during World War Two. Although he never spoke of his experiences, he was highly decorated for his bravery. The resin statue has lost its head in an unfortunate accident and several other sections are chipped but Brenton is very relieved to discover Iain has kept most of the detached pieces.The third and final caller at the barn is Alison Ward with her son Alex. Inside their mysterious brown box is a miniature microscope, the like optics expert Richard Biggs has never seen before. It was given to Alison's father by her grandfather when he was a boy in the 1930s and has been passed down the family. Alison remembers using it as a child with her father - examining insects and other fascinations. Although small it was in full working order until recent years. Richard must work extremely delicately and meticulously on the six tiny lenses to clean off decades of dust and grime.