Music and lyrics go with bat and ball for Bretel

'YOU only sing when you're winning,' is one of the most common chants of fans at Premiership football grounds these days. But that is not the case when it comes to table tennis and there is only one man for a ping-pong sing-song - Guernseyman Len Bretel.

The life and soul of the party has written his latest gem for broadcast at the Six Nations Veterans' Tournament dinner in Llandudno at the weekend.

'I'm Mr Entertainer and love making people laugh and leaving them with a smile on their face. You mix with all kinds of people in sport and it's a good way of making friends,' said the St Sampson's resident.

'Music is a good way of getting together - I find it easy to write a song.'

He is a household name among the sport's fraternity and is part of the team who leaves tomorrow to represent the Guernsey Table Tennis Veterans' Association against England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Isle of Man.

He wrote a song called Table Tennis in 2003 and will have been to all six nations in the tournament once in Wales.

Last year in Ireland it was decided after the dinner that every nation would do something and Guernsey came second to Ireland with his song.

'I think it was a fix,' he joked.

'We decided this time we would do something to the tune of ?We'll keep a welcome in the hillside?.'

He decided to write the song one Saturday morning in bed.

'I get inspirations at all times of the day. I started on this song and with the help of my good lady, Sheila, by dinner time it was on its way to Lionel, the president,' he said.

'Hopefully, because it has a bit of a Welsh flavour it might get first place.

'The others have not got a chance at all. We are going to take all the gold home from Wales, hopefully.'

Bretel, 67, who has been playing table tennis in excess of 50 years and retired from work six years ago to build his new house, even has a table in his roof space.

He plays bowls also and won the Church to Church walk in 1967 only 50 seconds more slowly than the most recent winner.

'I was the only one to break three hours on the day,' he said proudly.

He was in many pop groups in the 60s and has been writing songs for 50 years, compiling more than 100.

Seven years ago he produced his first CD of easy listening music and its 200 copies sold out locally.

He has also written a musical film on the internet about pirates in the Channel Islands.

Team manager Lionel Jones described Bretel as 'the life and soul of the party'.

'He is a songwriter and always writing things down. For occasions like this he normally comes up with some sort of song or something to keep us entertained. We allow him to sing at the dinners and presentations,' he said.

Team matches start tomorrow night and continue on Saturday with singles and doubles matches being held on Sunday.

Guernsey normally manage to beat the IoM but with the strength of the English team any medals appear unlikely.

Jones, the association's chairman, who will be refereeing at the tournament, is hopeful of beating the Isle of Man in all age categories - over 40, 50, 60 and 70.

Youngest Guernsey players are Tim Le Page and Andy Weeks, both 46, and oldest are Val Le Messurier and Peter Powell, both 72.

There are lots of veterans' tournaments - but not many with both team and singles events.

'It's pretty hectic playing on 18 tables,' said Jones.