A dad who used windows from a synagogue to transform an old chicken hut has won an award for his hard work.
Les Rowe, from Wallasey, in Wirral, bagged the 'budget winner' prize in the Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2021 competition.
He was one of three designers to be shortlisted in the category with his shed Tranquillity Base.
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The 67-year-old, former Art college teacher, made the impressive seven, outward-sloping side shed with mostly recycled materials and parts donated from family, friends and neighbours.
Les said he was ‘surprised’ to have been shortlisted and ‘amazed’ by all the compliments his shed has received.
He previously told the ECH O: "I was surprised that it had been shortlisted and in the last couple of days since shortlist went live I've been amazed and very humbled by all the people on Facebook who have shared it and passed lovely comments on it.
"So I think even if I don't get through to the next stage, it's worth entering because of how many people have responded and paid compliments.
"So that's been the nicest thing about it so far anyway."
Les said he had always intended to build a shed but it wasn’t until his chicken died that he had the space for it.
Also being in lockdown meant he had more time on his hands to work on the project.
He said: "I built an enclosure for four chickens and they kept us well - supplied with eggs for about three years - and one by one they all died except for the last one.
"I had wanted to build a shed for some time and had to wait for her demise at the age of ten before I could begin the build as the chicken run occupied the space I wanted to use."
Les, originally from Yorkshire, added: "I was building it over the course of a year, I started then stopped in winter, but I would built it in fits and starts.
"I’d go for weeks without working but then I’d have a few intense days working on it.
"The work coincided a bit with lockdown but I'd have built it anyway but it was nice to have something to work on during lockdown."
The shed is made up of mostly recycled and reclaimed materials.
The stained glass windows come from a synagogue in Cardiff, while the centre star is made from pitch pine reclaimed from St James's Church in New Brighton.
Les said: "With my shed I built the whole thing from recycled materials, I started off building it with the remnants of the chicken run at the bottom of the garden.
"And a large part of it is from an old shed in my son's house, there are windows from a synagogue in Cardiff, which I bought on ebay many years ago.
"I just enjoyed the process and I used up quite a lot of scrap wood, and various friends and family donated things.
"Some of the shed roof is from a neighbour made from his shower room cladding. So yeah it's quite an eclectic mix of material and an usual shape."
Kirsty Woodbine, marketing manager for Cuprinol, added: "We are overwhelmed by the amount and quality of entries we’ve received this year.
"The sheds were of such a high standard that narrowing them down to just 22 was an incredibly difficult task.
"The level of innovation, imagination and creativity we’ve seen has been incredible, as has the number of people using their sheds as dedicated spaces to help others in their community. This year’s contest has been truly life affirming."
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