Billy's chess mates help him feel t like a king

CARE HOME STAFF MAKE MOVE TO GIVE RESIDENT ZEST FOR LIFE BACK

- ALFIE MULLIGAN NEAL KEELING

MOVING into a care home after a fall Billy Unsworth often remained in his room agitated and not wanting to mix with others.

Then staff worked out what was missing in his life and restored it with an inspired move.

For more than six decades he had played chess keeping his brain sharp and, more importantly, giving him a band of friends.

Billy was first introduced to the game by a neighbour at his home in Eccles when he was five years old.

His passion for it flourished and in his early adult life, he was taking part in tournaments and collecting trophies up and down the country.

But at the age of 32 he suffered a stroke. Suffering from a stroke at just 32 years of age, he lost feeling of his left arm, with his health beginning to decline, it saw the once chess champion move to online competition.