EVER since he put a shotgun back into working order when he was aged just 13, Lewis Potter has worked with guns.

That first success was over four decades ago and many and various are the shotguns and rifles that have crossed his workbench since then.

In the early days his gunsmithing was part-time, only becoming full-time in 1987.

Mr Potter, from Evesham, is one of those fortunate people whose work is also a labour of love, a fact which comes through very clearly in his book The Art of Gunsmithing - The Shotgun.

He has a real hands-on approach to the job and his written words come from the practical experience he has gained during his long years in the trade.

He not only works on shotguns but uses them as well - and similarly with rifles. He is a very experienced stalker whose skills are much sought after. "What is recorded within these pages is my own working experiences - the work of a country gunsmith whose customer-base varies from the Range Rover-driving Purdey owner to old Fred with his bucolic wit, bicycle and worn Stevens single," Mr Potter said.

In a foreword, Chris Price, master of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, says: "Lewis is a modest man who loves his work, but he is also a master in his profession and his book is a must for all interested in the true art of gunsmithing. For the old gunsmith it will inspire a thousand memories, for the new gunsmith it will provide a push in the right direction."

Published by The Crowood Press Ltd, at £19.95, the lavishly-illustrated book is a real treasure house relating to the art of gunsmithing with a very useful glossary of the gunsmith's language.