A FORMER Winchester primary school teacher and the former boss of a huge tyre and cable company have joined forces to produce Twyford's history book for the millennium.

Entitled Twyford - Ringing the Changes, the book by Doreen Pearce and Stanley Crooks is about the story of the village community near Winchester.

The writing team met when Mr Crooks became editor of the Twyford, Morestead, and Owslebury Parish Magazine in 1994, to which Mrs Pearce, a former teacher at Weeke Primary School, was a regular contributor.

Mrs Pearce, who has lived in Twyford for 28 years, said: "I used to write village history pieces in the parish magazine, which proved popular, so we thought we'd write a book together."

The book falls into two halves.

Tthe first looks at the rapid rate of progress in Twyford and the second half considers how all the old houses and buildings including the church have stood the test of time, while everything has changed around them. Mr Crooks was managing director of Pirelli General in Southampton from 1967 to 1971 as he rose through its organisation.

He said: "Each generation has had its characters, its strong personalities who have featured large in village life.

"They are brought to life in this intriguing book."

It took four years to write and will be launched at a special event on Saturday November 13 at 10am in the Gilbert Room of Twyford Parish Hall.

All are invited, and copies of the book will be available after the launch at the village post office.

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