Look back on local history and not everything shut down during lockdown.

Last year, thanks to the kind hearts and donations from Yeovil football supporters, this grave in Radstock was renovated.

The last resting place marks the tragedy end of a story for a young Radstock footballing star, who had found success, and a wage, playing the game he loved. He remains, thankfully, one of the few footballer players ever to have died as a result of playing a match.

His story is tragic, both because of his young age and bright future, he was engaged to be married, but also because it happened at a special Boxing Day meet.

The footballer in question was Ernest Joseph Hyman who was born in Radstock in 1904. He started playing for Radstock when he was 17 and such was his talent that he quickly moved up a footballing league and started playing for Yeovil Town.

It was a fantastic future for the lad, who was born into a mining family in Writhlington and without his skill with a ball, would have followed his father and grandfather into the mines.

The future looked full of promise, with a paid-for job doing what he loved.

Young talented future cut short

But that future was cut short. He died on shortly after winning a place on the first team for The Glovers, on January 7 1927 - just a few games into the season.

He died as a result of injuries sustained during a game for the club against Taunton Town on Boxing Day 1926.

According to local footballing historians an opponent's knee caught Ernest in the abdomen and being unable to carry on in the game against Taunton he was carried off and transferred to hospital.

It was quickly realised that his injury was more serious than at first thought and on December 28 he underwent an operation. The following day he was in a critical condition with internal injuries and he sadly passed away on the morning of January 7, 1927, with his parents and fiancé at his bedside. He was said never to have blamed anyone for the injury, saying it was just an unfortunate accident.

Yeovil won the game against Taunton 1-0 , but the remainder of their season in the Southern League collapsed following Ernest's death with the club in mourning.

You can read more about Ernest's story HERE : the Yeovil Press site

Ernest's grave in the corner of St Nicholas' church in Radstock had been covering with moss and lichen, and so many would have passed it without notice.

But now, thanks to a donation from Yeovil supporters, in 2021 it was cleaned and restored to a brilliant white. Homage indeed to a brilliant player.