VOICE of the BBC’s Formula One motor racing coverage and sports commentator Jonathan Legard has talked about his time at the Countess of Chester Hospital working on the radio.

Mr Legard, who grew up in Chester, started his career as a 23-year-old working for the Countess of Chester Hospital’s Radio Lion, a free hospital radio service for patients, presenting the station’s sports coverage.

“I joined the station quite late, in about 1985-86,” he said, speaking after a busy British Grand Prix weekend.

“Sport is all I did. I would go in on the Friday, set up the phone line for the football and then do the commentary on the Saturday.

“I did the whole game, live, build-up and commentary.

“We were based in a sort of portable cabin building, as you came in at the main entrance on the left past the car park.

“It was out in a green expanse in a field against a hedge.”

Initially training as a teacher, he worked in Hong Kong before returning to the UK and taking up the post with Radio Lion.

“I did reports first then the live commentary.

“I did commentary on the last few games with Andy Holden, a former player who is now reserve team coach at Everton.

“It was very unambitious, I’ve got the tapes still somewhere. It was a lot of fun.”