I saw a Ted Sandyman

[Rumil]

My old next-door neighbour when I was a kid looked just like Tom Bombadil (OK in my head anyway!), shortish, stoutish, red-cheeked and out in all weathers as he was a keen gardner.

His predecessor as next-door neighbour (also a gardner) was just like the Gaffer, thin and wiry, old and a little scary when knocking on the door to retrieve a football, but fine really and Mrs Gaffer generally had a spare biscuit about.

There was a kid in school that reminded me of Pippin, as he was always the one to get into improbable situations, at one point having to be cut free from a modern art installation by Parisian Pompiers, after seeing if his leg would fit in it!

Mr Underhill was my English teacher, but there was no resemblance.

There was one gent who was a housemate of a friend, and unfortunately became known as Gollum due to his sallow complexion and strange ways. We may have occasionally whispered 'preciousssss' behind his back, which I'm not very proud of.