Cricket groundsman gives advice on cruise ship lawn

One of Britain's top groundsmen swapped rainy Manchester in November for Miami to give his expert opinion on the world's first cruise ship lawn.

Lancashire County Cricket Club's Peter Marron, 53, flew out to the United States to hand on his 33 years of experience to staff looking after the lawn aboard the new 122,000 tonne Celebrity Solstice.

The 14,000sq ft area is used by the 2,850 passengers to play bowls, golf and picnic on during cruises from Florida to the Caribbean.

Mr Marron, who has looked after the ground at Old Trafford since 1975, said he thought it was a wind-up by his cricket chums when he received an invitation from the ship's owners, Celebrity Cruises.

The head groundsman, from Salford, is retiring soon and thought it might be a leaving prank.

"I really did think it was a wind-up. It's the kind of thing that Freddie Flintoff would do," he said.

"It's really been a dream job. I'm led to believe it's raining in Manchester - I'm heartbroken," he joked.

The lawn was developed using lightweight clay and volcanic pumice as a soil substitute to keep the weight down.

"I was intrigued to see the lawn because it is something unique and it just goes to show what incredible things can be done these days," Mr Marron added.

"The staff really are meticulous in the heat and rain, they even use shears to cut the edges. You would never get an English groundsman do that - they'd use a strimmer."

Source :-Evening Leader