Being born with one arm is not often the subject of a funny story.


But Graham Sprack, who has died aged 55 from a brain tumour, is the exception.


He was born in the family home, Fernhill, Havenstreet, on May 21, 1963.
The midwife attended to deliver the baby but it was noted she had partaken of some drink and it was only when Graham was unwrapped from his blanket some time later the family noticed he had been born with no left hand — the midwife had failed to mention it.
Graham, of Sandown, was able to live life to the full despite his disability and enjoyed sport, music and restoring old cars.


He was known in the Island’s sporting community as ‘Shed’ on account of an old Wolseley car he drove as a young man and which his friend, Kenny Winter, described as ‘a shed on wheels’. 
He attended Swanmore Middle and Ryde High schools then did a number of jobs, including working for Bembridge Motorcycles and with his father at C. T. Sprack and Son builders, before joining the Royal Mail for 14 years.


After retraining as a driving instructor, he taught hundreds of Islanders to drive and later joined Evo Driver Training.
The first seizure which signalled his year-long fight against the tumour signalled the end of his working career but he was kindly supported by his colleagues during that time.
Graham was proud to have been selected for the first England disability cricket team to tour India in 2002 and was a key person in IW and southern region disability cricket for a number of years.


He played football as a goalkeeper for a number of teams and was a member of the IW Road Runners, completing the Berlin Marathon and several Great South Runs.
During his illness, a group of friends took him to Fratton Park to see his beloved Portsmouth FC for the final time. The date was 45 years to the day since his first visit, on March 10, 1973.
Graham loved music and was a harmonica player with The Crew and a member of Bloodstone Morris.


As a young man he was part of the 5.55 Club in Havenstreet, a group of young men who met at the village pub at that time and raised money for Christmas parties and other activities for the older members of the community, as well as staging a go-kart race down the Main Road at Christmas time.
His love of old cars and all things mechanical allowed him to restore an old Morris Minor with his older son, William, who has now become the youngest ever chairman of the IW Morris Minors Owners’ Club.


During his illness, Graham was supported by charity The Wight Brainy Bunch as well as many others. He is survived by wife, Dianne, children, Katie, William and George, sister, Lynda, and brother-in-law, David.


The funeral is to take place at Havenstreet Steam Railway on Tuesday, July 10, at 5.30pm followed by a private cremation at a later date. Traditional black to be worn. 
Family flowers only, but donations if desired to The Wight Brainy Bunch on the day.