Growing up with a father who worked as a sound engineer for the BBC meant that our household was often filled with the magic of television production

While his career spanned many iconic programs, including the legendary Doctor Who, one particular project remains a cherished family memory: the original run of All Creatures Great and Small

Aired between 1978 and 1980, this beloved series brought to life the 1930s and 40s Yorkshire Dales, starring Christopher Timothy as James Herriot and Robert Hardy as the eccentric Siegfried Farnon

Based on the novels by James Herriot, the show aimed for total authenticity, but during production, they hit a minor snag: the BBC’s extensive sound effects library was missing a specific "dog snapping" noise

To solve the problem, my dad turned our home into a makeshift recording studio

He arrived one evening with professional NAGRA Reel-to-Reel tape recorders and high-sensitivity microphones

We lived in the quiet village of Upton Snodsbury, where the local church bell chimed every fifteen minutes

We had to time our "session" perfectly, waiting for the bells to ring and then holding our breath until the very last bit of resonance faded into the night air

Once we had total silence, it was my turn to help

I began throwing a stick for our dog, Meck, while Dad hovered the microphone nearby, capturing the precise, sharp sound of Meck’s jaws snapping shut

(That's Meck the Border Collie and me in the photo)

It took a few takes to get it just right, but we eventually captured the perfect sound

Conclusion

It might seem like a small detail, but it’s a wonderful feeling to know that Meck’s "performance" is preserved forever in the BBC archives

Seeing my father's name in the credits of such a classic show is a point of immense pride for me

If you’re a fan of the series, you can actually see his name in the scroll at the end of the episode, a small tribute to the man who made sure the sounds of the Dales felt truly alive

Link  here fast forward to 49:12