A LOCHORE man has certainly earned his wings after entertaining bored Benarty kids with another artistic challenge – painting fairy doors.

Earlier this month we told you how one of Derek Davidson's ideas had proved so popular he ended up making 98 bird boxes for youngsters to take away and decorate.

With that feather in his cap the 57-year-old helped knock up around 200 little wooden fairy doors – he left them on his doorstep for locals to help themselves and get creative – and he held a contest for the best entries on Sunday.

Derek explained: "We got over 130 back for the competition and some of the decorations were just brilliant.

"One of my favourites, I'm pretty sure it was done by my pal Gordon Mackie, so he's disqualified, although he's denying it.

"The door opens on its hinges and there's a picture of a dwarf on the toilet saying 'Shut the door please!'"

First place in the competition went to Alisha Jarvis, Alex Mulligan was second and Maci Fotheringham was third.

They all received prizes from Derek and his wife Michele as well as cash prizes donated by

Benarty Fundraisers.

Local hero Emma McGurk-Kelly helped judge the contest.

Derek said: "Owen and Brenda Buchanan kindly gave James Fotheringham the use of their Bentley to pick Emma up, James had the black suit and tie on and everything, he looked like someone out of Men in Black!

"Emma's a radiographer who works at the Vic and is a really nice lassie.

"We couldn't run our usual dog show this year so my wife and I held an online one and with the money we bought 100 safety specs.

"We gave 50 to Emma for the hospital in Kirkcaldy and 50 to her mum, who works at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline.

"It was really good of her to take the time to help us with the competition and to dress the part too."

Derek and Michele have since spent about four hours hanging the doors in Lochore Meadows Country Park – the bird boxes were placed there too.

It's another selling point for the Meedies as he added: "I've just come from the woods and it's mobbed with bairns looking for their doors! It's all social exercise though.

"I get enjoyment out of seeing kids having fun and doing something creative.

"It's just good fun and it's been great for us too. The amount of friends we've made doing this has been unbelievable, everyone seems to know who we are now."

Derek added: "I'm not sure what we'll do next, we'd thought about 'Stay Safe' coasters or Indian head carvings, my pal says to wait until the next pandemic!"