TUDELEY villagers have ensured the memory of one of their best-loved neighbours will live on by completing the refurbishment of an historic drinking fountain.

Lifelong Tudeley and Five Oak Green resident Gordon Sceal, who died in November at the age of 83, was jointly named Capel Parish Citizen of the Year with his wife Florrie in 2006.

The couple decided to use their £500 prize money to revitalise the disused drinking fountain at the southern end of Hartlake Road.

It was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The stone structure provided refreshment to passers-by, including a young Mr Sceal himself, until it mysteriously dried up in the 1950s.

Speaking to the Courier in 2007, Five Oak Green Road resident Mr Sceal said: "We just thought it would be nice for ramblers to stop there and fill up their water bottles like they used to."

The project involved cleaning and repointing the masonry, clearing weeds and laying new foundations, with much of the work carried out by local volunteers including stonemason Daniel Aldridge, one of Mr Sceal's 12 grandchildren.

Village firms Burslems and Capel Fencing – who donated the citizen of the year prize money – also helped enormously with the loan of a lorry, lifting equipment and building materials.

Capel parish councillor Trevor Sawyer said Mr Sceal was extremely pleased with the refurbishment work, which was completed shortly before he died.

Mr Sawyer said: "We exceeded the budget, but it was certainly worth it, because it really does look good."

Mr Sceal devoted much of his life to good causes and among the 300 people at his funeral were colleagues from the local branch of the Royal British Legion, the Royal Engineers Association in Southborough – he was chairman of both – active retired group the Capel Country Friends and the Goldsmid Hall where Mr Sceal acted as caretaker for 40 years.

Royal British Legion secretary Doug Purseglove said: "Gordon was a man who would do anything for anybody."

Mrs Sceal, who celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary last July, said: "There wasn't much he didn't do. He did all the poppies for Paddock Wood and Five Oak Green and that was the downfall of him, because there was so much work. It was too much."

She now hopes to install a memorial bench for her husband close to the completed fountain.

She said: "There have been many generous people helping out without charging. Gordon was still here when they put the stones back and the fence up. It does look very nice and he enjoyed doing that."

The water supply to the fountain will be installed next year after health and safety issues have been resolved.