A FINALIST in The Great British Sewing Bee has been to Chippenham to inspire the next generation of sewers at King’s Lodge School.

Lieutenant Colonel Neil Stace was a strong contender in the BBC Two show, but was beaten by fellow contestant Matt Chapple in last Thursday's final. (MAR 12)

Lt Col Stace, who lives in Salisbury and is serving in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), took up sewing at primary school in Hong Kong, when he joined the sewing club out of protest for allowing girls into the football team.

The 46-year-old married father-of-two, who used to make curtains for the soldiers’ accommodation when on tour in Bosnia, said: "I'm really stunned about how people are interested, I really am.

"There's clearly a big market out there for blokes who want to sew but are perhaps not prepared to have a go because of the stigma that goes with blokes sewing.

"I would like to think I've sort of put an end to that.”

Both boys and girls at Pewsham primary school King's Lodge were so awestruck by Lt Col Stace on Tuesday (MAR 17) they did not want to go out to play, saying they wanted to stay in and sew instead.

He took in camouflage material and helped 57 eight to nine-year-olds to use sewing machines to make rucksacks, which they will take on a residential trip to Braeside at the end of next month.

Year four teacher Denise Williams said: “We watched the final on Friday in school and they were all so excited to have someone from the TV coming along. Neil was very enthusiastic and it was contagious. No one wanted to go out to play or for lunch.

“The boys were absolutely as enthusiastic, it’s very good for them to have a male role model. It would be hard to tell there was a known gender difference. I think it’s important to get rid of all stereotypes.”

Last week he was beaten in The Great British Sewing Bee by another man, Matt Chapple, 37, who revealed he used to conceal his hobby from others. He said: “I am not hiding the fact that I stitch anymore! I have had nothing but amazing support and encouragement that blokes can sew too."