11:30am Friday 19th February 2010
By Chris Harris
ONE of Hampshire's most colourful characters has died, aged 65.
Colin Hersey was a fixture at The Boot Inn near Stockbridge and was best known for his stewardship of Horsebridge Springs, among the county's best-known trout fishing lakes.
His life changed forever in his mid-40s when he was involved in a near-fatal accident on a construction site.
Construction News reported in 1992 that Mr Hersey had been awarded more than £200,000 compensation after being crushed beneath a 27-tonne earthmover.
The report added: "The award to Colin Hersey, 47, came after Mr Justice Roch dismissed claims in the High Court that Mr Hersey contributed to the accident by smoking marijuana dangerously close to the dumper truck."
Doctors had faint hopes for his survival, let alone recovery, but by sheer grit and tenacity he was able to resume an active life after a prolonged stay in hospital.
The accident left him in constant pain, and he was dependent on powerful prescription medication for the rest of his life.
Colin settled in west Hampshire in the early '90s and soon grew to love the countryside and its people.
Initially he set up base on a smallholding on Stockbridge Common Marsh before taking over the lease on Horsebridge Springs.
He used his considerable construction knowledge to completely re-excavate the site and repair the feed-water arrangements and drainage system. Horsebridge quickly gained a reputation as one of the best- managed trout lakes in the area.
Caroline Halse of How Park Farm, who had known Mr Hersey for 15 years, said he died of stomach cancer on Friday, February 12.
"He was a real character and we shall miss him," she said. "If I ever needed help, which occasionally I did, you could always ring him and rely on him to come and help out."
His daughter Krista and son Ian survive him.
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