Bellingham honoured on home town turf in Stourbridge

Jude Bellingham’s success at the Euros has been marked by having his shirt painted onto some of his home town turf.

Bryn Nicholls decided to honour the Stourbridge-born midfielder, who Mr Nicholls said the town “looks up to.”

“This year, I thought instead of putting a flag on the lawn, I’ll put somebody who’s representing England and Stourbridge as well. I just thought it would be a nice fitting tribute,” he said.

Mr Nicholls, from Wollaston, has painted his lawn for important events and football games since 2006.

Bellingham was an inspiration to players at the nearby Forest Falcons junior football club, he said.

“Being the chairman of a local junior football club, the thing that we’ve got out of it is that little boys and girls want to play football. It’s just fantastic for the town,” he told BBC News.

The designs are created with marking paint, and although Mr Nicholls is not an artist, he has experience painting on grass.

“I used to mark the pitches out for the cricket club in Kinver, who I used to play for,” he said.

“I thought, you know what, this washes away in the rain, I wonder if I could paint the lawn. It comes out absolutely fantastic.”

Mr Nicholls has marked dozens of notable occasions on his lawn over the years, including the London 2012 Olympics, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and other Euros tournaments.

He has developed quite the reputation locally for his colourful designs.

“Everybody in Wollaston comes past and asks what I’m doing each year,” he said.

“They come past and take photos.”

He said the Euros brings people together, no matter what is going on.

“England getting as far as they have in the competition, it’s just fantastic for the country.”

In Wednesday’s semi-final, he is confident the Three Lions can take the win.

“I think it’s going to be a tight game. I can’t knock England, you know what, I think we’re going to win the whole lot.”