The Repair Shop’s Susie Fletcher tearfully told her brother Steve that their father ‘would be so proud’ after they restored an 100-year-old watch together.
While Steve is known for his wizarding when repairing clocks and watches on the BBC1 programme, his sister Susie is an expert at everything leather.
Appearing on the show last night, Nancy took her father’s 100-year-old watch to the brother and sister duo to see if it could be repaired, after it had been missing for over 10 years.
And despite Steve admitting he was concerned about the restoration, the duo were able to completely transform the timepiece.
As the pair walked out of the barn, watch securely fastened on Nancy’s wrist, Susie praised: ‘Well done you! Nice one, Dad would be proud.’
The Repair Shop’s Susie Fletcher tearfully told her brother Steve that their father ‘would be so proud’ after they restored an 100-year-old watch together
As the pair walked out of the barn, watch securely fastened on Nancy’s wrist, Susie said their father ‘would be proud’ of their work
The watch belonged to Nancy’s father and was 100 years old – but was stolen from the family home in 2011
Many of those watching the programme were deeply touched by the story, with one writing: ‘I simply love watching The Repair Shop. End of.’
Another commented: ‘Said it before, but The Repair Shop is just brilliant in so many ways.’
A third added: ‘Programmes like The Repair Shop remind me there are still some nice humans around and things that really matter in life don’t need to be expensive.’
A fourth wrote: ‘Random. I don’t want to watch The Repair Shop. I end up watching the Repair Shop. Gets me every time. Impressive, creative people and the stories.’
Walking into the barn, Nancy revealed the backstory behind the watch and said: ‘We have a watch which belonged to my father, it is 100 years old and it was stolen in 2011.
‘It was found one month ago, under a bush by a dog. We had a break-in, I lost everything.
‘I lost my engagement ring and everything. The watch which belonged to my father.’
Liz said: ‘The worst thing they could have taken from us was the watch. He went all the way through the war and he got the military medal at the battle of Passchendaele and he was presented with that watch for gallantry on his return.
‘For us, he’s our hero.’
Many viewers who had tuned into the BBC1 programme confessed the story had been touching to watch
Nancy said she ‘couldn’t go back in the house’ after the watch had been stolen, adding: ‘I sat outside in the car and I cried. Why did they have to take his watch? It was quite emotional.
‘It was found on the outskirts of the small town where we lived. It was a lady out walking her dog and he went to go under a bush and she was trying to pull it out and then when it came out it had that in its mouth.
‘We think it had been out there all these years. She just thought it was an old watch but then she saw the inscription on the back.’
Her daughter Liz explained that the woman who found it had put a note in the local community pages where they were finally reunited with the watch.
She said she thought of him ‘laughing and having a joke.’
Clock restoration had been in their family for over 100 years, with their father and grandfather in the business – but Steve confessed he was worried about how to repair the watch.
Walking into the barn, Nancy revealed the backstory behind the watch, explaining it had belonged to her father
Nancy and Liz confessed they were blown away by the restoration, with Nancy saying it ‘looked incredible’
As the women left the barn, Susie and Steve exchanged a look, as she said: ‘I don’t think I have ever seen you look worried when it comes to a watch.’
Steve responded: ‘This has been in the open for eight years, this is going to be red rust inside. I have got to take it apart and have a look at it.
‘If it is completely solid with rust it would have destroyed parts and then I am in trouble… I think Dad would run a mile. I’ll see what I can do.’
Opening the watch, Steve faced with the dreaded rust he was hoping to avoid, and found the hands had welded together.
However they managed to get the watch back working and to it’s original stunning form.
Daughter Liz had explained how her grandfather had gone ‘all the way through the war’ before he was presented with the watch
After Steve revealed the transformed watch face, Susie praised her brother’s handiwork.
She said: ‘I really like the face, you can really see the numbers.’
Nancy and Liz confessed they were blown away by the restoration, with Nancy saying: ‘Oh gosh! It is just incredible.
‘That’s lovely and it goes! Thank you, the strap is so lovely.’
Susie explained: ‘I couldn’t use the original strap but that is the original strap inside there,’ before Liz added: ‘That is our family history returned.’
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