A DEVOTED cricket and football enthusiast has been rewarded after spending 20 “tireless” years building up his community sports teams.

Martyn Cross, fondly known as “Chipper”, has made endless contributions to the cricket and football clubs.

Now he is to be presented with the Oxfordshire High Sheriff Award 2016.

Mr Cross, who has helped the village cricket and football clubs develop flourishing teams, said he was shocked to receive the accolade. He said: “To be truthful, it came right out of the blue and I don’t even know what it’s about.”

During the last two decades Mr Cross has built up Minster Lovell Cricket Club considerably, and the group now coaches 156 boys and 16 girls, including a team of players with disabilities called the Minster Lovell Lions.

Mr Cross also devotes a large portion of his time to Minster Lovell Football Club, of which he has been chairman for 17 years.

He ran one of the biggest six-a-side football tournaments in Oxfordshire for youth and adult teams over a two-day weekend at the Wash Meadow club grounds.

A considerable number of players from Minster Lovell’s youth teams are now representing West Oxfordshire and the county at different age levels.

People in Minster Lovell have called Mr Cross their “community hero” and have said a huge thank you to him for all the work he had done.

Minster Lovell Parish Council clerk Katherine Doughty spoke of the reason Mr Cross was nominated for the award.

She said: “Martyn puts so much time and energy into the community.

“His passion for promoting cricket and football at a variety of ages and abilities is outstanding and his willingness to help others is brilliant.

“Martyn is instrumental in the organisation of village events and the parish council felt that his dedication to the community should be acknowledged.

“I’m sure Martyn won’t want to make a fuss of his High Sheriff of Oxfordshire Award being the modest chap that he is, but I know that everyone will want to congratulate him.”

Mr Cross will be presented with his award at a ceremony in Christ Church, Oxford, on February 29.

Mr Cross lives in the village with wife Sue, who also helps out with the sports clubs and provides teas for many cricket team home matches.