Ted trained at NASA in 1979, but the Columbia disaster put paid to his opportunity for a trip in the space shuttle.

He was granted a trip to MIR in 1989, but (in his words!) was gazumped by the Juno Project in 1991, and that was that.

The walls of his flat are adorned with all his space memorabilia - as JJ pointed out, you can come and ask him yourself on the 2nd or 4th Wednesday of every month in the Saracen's Head, Warburton.

Since his stroke in 1992 he has been somewhat dependant on others to ferry him around, and I'm his regular lift to the Sarries. Ted is such a complex character that I'm sure there are hidden depths that we haven't reached yet!