A puppet may not seem a likely companion for a 78-year-old, but Basildon resident Michael Madeley is proud of his cowboy friend.

Brother in arm - Michael Madeley and his puppet Tex the Mex Picture: ROB BROWNE

Mr Madeley, who lives in Afflets Court, commissioned ventriloquist dummy, Tex the Mex, from Angela Collins after she appeared in the Evening Echo Woman section in March this year.

He said: "Life can get boring, so I got this to amuse some of the other tenants. It's quite a good model. I liked him because of the Tex the Mex sort of thing.

"I'm very keen and very proud of it."

He choose the cowboy over Elvis, Percy the Seagull and Cotton Eye Joe to entertain his neighbours, despite never having learned ventriloquism.

Ms Collins makes the puppets for all types of entertainers, including an African Zulu chief, and runs regular workshops at St Michael's Church, Daws Heath, to show adults and children how to make them.

For more information about the workshops, call Angela on 07974 277423.

Published Wednesday August 11, 2004

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