Ash....

....Busking in Wolverhampton on a cold night.

As I stepped out of the car which said 3 degrees on the dashboard, I wondered if walking around Wolverhampton would throw up any photo opportunities or would I just get cold?

Ash was a rather pleasant young man, only 23 and living rough. He was quite open about his life and I found it rather interesting and quite honourable. He lives in a wood near Dunstall Race course about a 15 minute walk from the town centre, he has never claimed benefits and he wants to do an unbroken full year of daily busking. He had spent much of the day in Stafford and was just doing a couple of hours for the late commuters in Wolverhampton.

When I asked if he minded having his photograph taken he said "by all means" so I snapped away. His voice was something rather incredible...deep, husky and very very powerful, he could really make it as a blues singer, I mean really could make it.

It was when I was taking shots of him a scrawny man appeared to bend down and give Ash some change, but suddenly the music stopped and Ash had leapt out of his seat before I knew it. Instinctively I moved back and stopped shooting (why). I moved round the corner to see where he had gone and he was lying on the floor with the scrawny fella in a head lock shouting drop my money. There were lots of people around including a police officer near-by. I really didn't know what was going on but after the commotion I realised Ash was defending his earned money. He went on to say, if he had asked for some money I would have given it him but it was the fact he thought he could just take it. I really do understand his quick actions in his dog eat dog world. The Police officer then came over who didn't see the crime but was informed by a member of the public. This is when I was glad to see the officer taking the side of Ash and said the culprit was being dealt with and Ash could carry on if he didn't want to press charges.

Ash seconds before the incident in Extra ---->

Wow what an interaction.

I wish Ash a good and less eventful evening in the woods.

Mr Bo Hingles