ONE person who welcomes petrol restrictions is Mr. William John Dicks, farrier, at Rushden's old world smithy in High Street South. The less petrol, the less difficult his task of shoeing horses. "The young ones are often startled by the traffic," he says. You can't tell William much about shoeing horses. With book-like knowledge, he says. "Hooves — they're hard, tough, light and porous, and a non-conductor of heat."

Aged 69, William describes himself as a shoeing smith. Proud of his length of service in the trade, he says; "My father carried on until he was 74, and my grandfather was 80 before he packed up."