Westbury United and Bristol City football legend John Atyeo has been immortalised in a new book. Atyeo: The Hero Next Door, charts the remarkable life of the part-time footballer who still holds the goal scoring record at the Ashton Gate club.

Author John Hudson, 59, from Chalford Hill, Stroud said: "I can't believe nobody has ever written a book about John before.

"When I was growing up in Manchester, he was a big name in football. I was intrigued by this chap from a small club in Division Three South who made his name as a part-time footballer."

Born in Berkley, near Frome, in 1932, Atyeo attended Trowbridge High School for Boys, which is now John of Gaunt School.

During his school days Atyeo played two games for Portsmouth as an amateur and looked set to join one of the big clubs. But after leaving school he became a quantity surveyor and turned out for Westbury United at weekends.

Even when he joined Bristol City, Atyeo did not give up his day job and only trained twice a week.

"He needed the normality of every day life, that's why he's the hero next door," said Mr Hudson. Despite interest from several big clubs, including the top Italian sides, Atyeo stayed loyal to Bristol City, where he scored 350 goals in 645 appearances.

Atyeo's performances at Ashton Gate, where he has a stand named in his honour, earned him six international caps, in which he scored five goals.

His England career was cut short however by short-sighted FA selectors who did not approve of Atyeo plying his trade for a small club. He retired from football aged 30 to become a maths teacher at Kingdown School in Warminster.

Atyeo died in 1993. Atyeo: The Hero Next Door is available from all good bookshops priced £17.50.