Sir Rod gets honorary membership of model railway club

Rod Stewart has been given honorary membership to a model railway club he helped rebuild after it was destroyed by vandals.

The singer gave £10,000 to Market Deeping Model Railway Club for rebuilding costs in May.

The £30,000 display, built over 23 years, was destroyed by four teenagers on a pre-exam night out.

Club chairman Peter Davis presented Sir Rod with the honour on BBC's The One Show to say thank you for his support.

The 74-year-old singer - who has had nine number one albums and 26 top 10 singles including Maggie May, Handbags and Gladrags, and a cover of Downtown Train by Tom Waits - appeared on The One Show to mark his 50th anniversary as a solo artist.

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Sir Rod told the show he had loved model railways since childhood, "ever since my dad gave me a guitar for Christmas instead of the model train I wanted".

Earlier this month he revealed his own model rail collection built by hand over 23 years in the attic of his LA home.

Mr Davis presented the singer with a Market Deeping Model Railway Club certificate and sweatshirt embroidered with his name.

Four boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted destroying the model which had been set up for the club's annual show at Welland Academy in Stamford in May.

Lincoln Youth Court heard they had shared a bottle of vodka.

A fund set up for repair work raised more than £107,000 from the public - and Sir Rod.

The model railway exhibit went back on display at the weekend at a show at Birmingham's NEC.

Mr Davis said: Rod's money not only helped us get back up and running [...] it's changed a lot of people's lives in the club, but more - we're also working with a charity Little Miracles to support youngsters wuth cerebral palsy."

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