GROUND staff at Stand Cricket Club didn't let the grass grow under their feet when a wheel came off their mower.

They showed their true metal by appealing over the radio for help in recovering the missing wheel bolt.

And "Rod from Radcliffe" rode to the rescue by finding the component, thanks to his metal detector.

Club officials say if the bolt hadn't been discovered in 3ft of grass, it would have cost hundreds of pounds to have the machine repaired. Bill McVicker, who helps with ground maintenance at Stand, explained: "We were trying to cut the long grass surrounding the ground with one of our big mower machines.

"One of the attachments came fell off and we didn't actually notice until the wheel itself came off."

He added: "It was impossible to find the bolt because the grass was so long."

Bill then had the idea to phone a radio station and appeal over the air for someone with a metal detector to help recover the missing bolt.

"Within half an hour, a chap called Rod from Radcliffe phoned up. He came down and more or less right away found the bolt with his metal detector," continued Bill, pictured with the mower.

Now, delighted club officials will stand Rod a drink when Radcliffe Cricket Club, of which he is a member, meets Stand in a forthcoming cricket match.

Stand chairman, Mr Ken Holt said: "Bill's initiative has saved the club a considerable amount of money, given we would have had to send the machine away for repairs."

He does not have Rod's full details and has appealed for him to make himself known to club officials.

"If he wants to contact us, we can invite him down to the club and buy him a couple of beers," added Mr Holt.