Ed’s Note: To everyone who has written, emailed and called us recently with good wishes for Lester’s recovery – a heartfelt thankyou. While he’s recovering we’re going to be keeping him busy as you’ll see below!

A message from Lester:

I am currently 6 weeks into my recovery from what transpired to be quite serious stomach surgery. After a really painful couple of weeks I was rushed into Hospital for some life saving surgery and now,  a few weeks down the line, I am carrying an impressive scar, lost a chunk of my guts, and am two and a half stone lighter.

In the first few weeks after getting out of Hospital I was preoccupied with just getting over the op, eating again and attempting short walks. Now though my mind is turning to my favourite pastime and passion – Fishing. At times over the last few weeks it’s thinking about fishing that has been my boon and I have daydreamed about getting up out of the sickbed and going.

But I can’t go…I’m not allowed to pick anything up, can’t walk very far, can’t drive – let alone being able to hold up all those giant specimens that I would undoubtedly catch for the camera!! For the first time since I was a kid I have the whole summer off and I haven’t been able to take advantage and fish during these great weeks of Summer we are having.

I have had lots of invites and long outstanding days agreed with my friends, colleagues and family that I can’t wait to fulfil. In the meantime I am having to make do with their various catch reports or new lakes rivers and swims they have discovered or starting a campaign on.

This got me to thinking that as I am currently in this angling purgatory and being tormented and frustrated by the endless reports (not really – I’m just gagging to get out and fish myself) I would invite all of you to send me your catch reports, pictures of catches or just an update or pic of a lovely bit of water you are fishing at the moment – anything that inspires really.

Each week I will pick my favourite story or photo and we at Crabtree will send you a cap as recognition and post you up on the website.

I am also going to share some of my fishing thoughts, views and observations from my sickbed sofa or garden chair (my garden chair is a Nash Indulgence btw, which is by far the most comfortable angling chair around – actually it’s the most comfortable chair fullstop) that I welcome responses and your own thoughts upon.

So please send me your reports, stories, photos so that you can whet my appetite and give me something useful to do at Crabtree Towers before I get out and start fishing again and we start filming Series 2 of ‘Fishing in the Footsteps of Mr Crabtree’.

Filming has been delayed because of my sudden illness, but we are all raring to go with new scripts and storyboards and our Quest for our new Peter’s is ongoing – if you have a child aged 8-14 or know someone in the family or at your local club, or if you know of a youngster who loves fishing, please get them to talk to their parent/guardian and get them to enter this great competition to be Angling TV’s next stars.

Tight lines, Lester