Bishop’s rugby roots revealed at Ipswich statue unveiling

Bishop Nigel revealed that his grandfather played rugby for England as a statue to Prince Alexander Obolensky was unveiled in Ipswich.

RW Bell played for England in 1900, before becoming ordained. "He was told to stop playing that vulgar game when he entered the priesthood", says Bishop Nigel.

Bishop Nigel had been invited to the official unveiling of a new statue to England rugby legend and pilot Prince Alexander Obolensky, who died during World War II in Suffolk.

The £50,000 work was unveiled by Princess Alexandra Obolensky, the hero's niece in Cromwell Square.

Obolensky made his name in 1936 at the age of 19, by scoring two tries on his international debut in England's first victory over New Zealand's All Blacks. He died in 1940 when his Hurricane fighter crash-landed at Martlesham Heath airfield and is buried in the local churchyard