SKILLS teacher and sculptor, Allan Saysell, has died at his home near Chepstow at the age of 83.

At his houses in Bream, Newland, Berry Hill and more lately Shirenewton he always had a workshop where he produced a series of works in stone and wood, some of which had Christian overtones. One of his most recent commissions was a figure of a Celtic saint for the new hall at St Thomas-a-Becket parish church in Shirenewton. At the time of his death his latest work lay unfinished on his bench.

He worked for many years as craft skills instructor at the Barbican Centre in Gloucester which was set up by the Gloucestershire Probation Service as a pioneering project in the late 1960s to teach life skills to petty offenders sent by the courts. As well as reading and writing, offenders were taught basic woodworking and metal working skills using hand and power tools. Some of the offenders responded so well they became instructors themselves.

Allan Saysell was born in Newport where his parents were in business. At school his talent for art was spotted, but the Second World War intervened, and he was evacuated, along with his brother Peter. They both acknowledged that it was then they developed their love for sculpture and pottery respectively by playing with plasticine modelling clay.

Allan was awarded a national diploma in design at Newport School of Art but his career was interrupted by national service in the Army. He took part in the ill fated invasion of Egypt of 1956 to try and recapture the Suez Canal. His experiences prompted a lifelong admiration for the national serviceman. He was a keen member of the British Legion and in retirement he joined the campaign of the Suez Veterans Association, fighting for the award of a campaign medal which was eventually granted 50 years late.

Despite his small stature, Allan was a keen rugby player at school and club level notably Newport RFC Youth XV in the 1949 to 1950 season. He never lost his love of Welsh rugby and encouraged his grandsons to take up the game.

Allan continued his trips to international games at the Arms Park and Millennium Stadium well into his 80s.

After national service, Allan became assistant to the distinguished sculptor, Hubert Dalwood, who had been one of his tutors at Newport but had moved on to Leeds University. There Allan assisted with some of Dalwood’s finest creations, and further honed his own skills in both wood, stone and metal.

Dalwood went on the win a top award at the Venice Biennale in 1962, but by that time Allan had turned down an offer to become Barbara Hepworth’s assistant and moved into the teaching profession, first as art master at the avant-garde Tulse Hill boys school in London - one of Britain’s first comprehensives - where one of his pupils was Ken Livingstone.

At a party Allan met Sally Rogers, a fellow teacher. Within a year they were married. They moved to Bream in the Forest of Dean when Sally took a job at Newnham-on-Severn Primary School.

Of his time at the Barbican Centre Allan said: “It taught me that there is good in everyone, if only it can be brought out. Our aim was simple to teach basic skills and behaviour which would equip those who had had a bad start in life to get a job and become self supporting. And, mostly, it worked.”