James Frost from Diss who has written his autobiography.

A Norfolk man was inspired by a friend he met to write his autobiography detailing his early life growing up in rural north Suffolk.

James Frost, 84, told stories of his early years growing up in Wortham to a lady he met in the street and she enjoyed his tales so much she recommended he write them in his autobiography, which he has called Memories and Recollections.

The book recounts the years 1928-1954 and offers an insight into some of the major events of the period, including the mechanisation of farm machinery and the so-called Tithe War in 1934.

Mr Frost said: “I was walking out of the house one day and talking to a lady about what we used to do and she said I should write an autibiography about my experiences and it has just expanded from there.”

The 311 page book, which is on sale at Wortham Post Office for £18.50, has so far proved popular with 75 copies sold out of an initial 100 printed.

Mr Frost, who lives in Louies Lane, Diss with his wife Betty, 73, remembered Black Shirted members of Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists visiting farms to defend the farmers against government officials who had come to confiscate their livestock for non-payment of tithes levied on their profits.

The book also contains some amusing anecdotes from his childhood, including when he fell into a pond and nearly drowned, but was saved by a couple of boys who helped pull him out of the water with a wooden stick.

There are also tales from his school days and of his family life.

The couple have three children- Susan, Rosemary and Steve- and five grandchildren.