In April 2005 The Challenge Tommy Walsh team from Discovery Real-time arrived at The Toft windmill to install a raised floor in to the cap of the Mill.  it wsa you couldn't look out of the shutters (no glass) without balancing on a precarious ledge. Also the only way in to the cap was via a loft ladder in the middle of the top bedroom which came down and balanced on the bed. Not the greatest way to get in to the cap!

There was Tommy Walsh, Alan Heard (co-presenter), Chris the Producer/camera man, Duncan (Chris's second in command), Keith the sound man, Claire the 'runner' and Stuart a second joiner (often called 'Dave' when filming because of course only Tommy and Alan do all the work!!).  As well as the Tommy team there was Dave and I with our two youngest children and our two dogs.

On day one there was a lot of general filming and a lot of talking, only a small amount of work.  The new opening to the top floor was cut in.  Did we mention that this was to be a three day shoot, it was a job slightly under estimated.

Day two the old opening to the cap was sealed from above and the stairs were assembled.

Day three the new floor joists were put into place, what is really hard to appreciate is that the room was circular making the cutting very awkward and there was some steel work in place from the cap being put into place which was also very awkward.  The thing we didn't realise was how the filming would drag out all the jobs.  A joist may be cut and then put into place but then would be taken out again so that the whole thing could be filmed from the start with a running commentary from Tommy or Alan.  The stairs also go in today which was a slight drama and was rather tense as they didn't filt as they should have.  At lunch time their starts to be talk about the fact that they need more time and can we still be about on Thursday afternoon.  By the time they left (usually about 7pm) it had been confirmed that they would need to come for one more full day.

Day four (the final day, due to leave at lunch), talk of can we come back tomorrow, they even start to joke about coming on Saturday.  Fitted one of the new window frames, continued with the floor joists.  Also, each day they will film a family member (I usually pushed Dave into this) and this always added to time away from the project.

Day five (the final day, Tommy goes home tonight), the flooring is put down.  This turns out to be the worst job yet!  Every cut has to be cut at an angle because of the shape of the mill.  Tommy is really rather fed up and would rather be on a yacht in the South of France.  They finally leave at 11.30pm.  I don't think Tommy ever wants to step into a Windmill ever again, as for use;  well it's been an experience!.

One of the things you can't see when watching these things on TV is how much sitting around is done, or how much tea is drunk (and biscuits eaten), or how the sound picks up everything: jets flying over, dogs barking, feet coming upstairs and then every thing has to be re-filmed.

The day after we returned to the mill and used the scaffolding to lift the easy chairs up into the cap, where they will have to stay as there is now no way for getting them down.  Over the coming weeks we varnished the floor, put up a hand rail, put the second window frame and glazed the two windows, filled in the old opening into the cap from the lower bedroom and had it plastered, painted the wall, painted the interior of the dome, wired in lights and switches and put up the balustrade.

The  furniture in the dome consists of two leather armchairs, a stereo, a telescope (which we have never been able to work out how to use) and a small table to hold two glasses of wine (or tea and coffee depending on the time of day).

The view is spectacular, and continues to be completely absorbing whenever you are up there and whatever the weather, night or day.

If you would like to see the Challenge Tommy programme we can send you a DVD with the three parts on it, just e-mail us at Samantha.woodcock1@ntlworld.com