Pro golfer John Bickerton grew up on the Chawson estate and was Club Champion at Droitwich Golf Club while still in his teens.

He won two events on the  European Tour, the Abama Open de Canarias in 2005 and nine months later one of the richest events, the Open de France. Bickerton’s best finish on the European Order of Merit was 20th in both 1999 and 2006.

In 1989, at the Midland Amateur Golf Championships, he was struck by lightning on the first hole. He still managed to birdie the hole and went on to win the tournament.

It was the second time he had been hit by a bolt from the blue, disapproving the theory that lightning never strikes twice.