Repair Shop’s Dom Chinea Faces Cornish Storms and Hand Injury
Dom's Norfolk Adventure and the ‘Illegal' Laser
Our favourite restoration expert, Dominic Chinea, recently shared a fascinating peek behind the scenes with his Repair Shop co-star Mark Stuckey. Dom traveled away from his new Cornish home to visit Mark in Norfolk, uncovering a hidden world of science and history. Mark, famous for restoring vintage electronics, showed off a remarkably rebuilt observatory dome housing a telescope with local historical significance. It once belonged to the legendary astronomer Horace Dall and the Luton Astronomical Society. As night fell, Mark pointed the massive telescope at Jupiter, identifying its moons. However, things took an unexpected turn when Mark activated a powerful blue guide laser, lighting up the dome and prompting a shocked Dominic to joke that the high-powered beam looked ‘highly illegal.' Mark quickly reassured him that it was perfectly safe and routinely used to track celestial bodies, even revealing he can operate the entire setup remotely from his living room. For Cornish fans of the show, seeing this level of passion for preserving scientific history was a reminder of why we love these craftspeople.
Storm Damage and a Devastating Injury at His Cornish Farmhouse
While Dominic loves exploring his colleague's high-tech hobbies, his main focus lately has been closer to home here in Cornwall. After relocating from Kent to a rural Cornish farmhouse with his wife Maria, Dom has been pouring his heart and soul into establishing his own local workshop. However, the move has been far from smooth sailing. Our unpredictable coastal weather recently dealt a devastating blow when powerful storms ripped parts of the workshop’s roof off, exposing his lifetime collection of precious tools and machinery to the damp, salty air. Just as he managed to get the building watertight after months of grueling concrete pouring and roof repairs, disaster struck again. Dom suffered a serious hand injury when his fingers were pulled into a drill while constructing a metalworking wheeling machine. The accident left him with severe deep bruising and temporarily unable to move two of his fingers. For a master craftsman who relies entirely on his hands, the injury was a terrifying setback, but local neighbours and fans have been rallying around to offer their support.
Rest and Recovery in Cornwall: What Locals Can Do
As Dominic takes some much-needed time to let his hand heal, local residents might spot him exploring our beautiful coastline. With his workshop projects temporarily on hold, it is the perfect excuse for Dom and Maria to experience the best of Cornwall. Locals are encouraging the couple to go to Newquay to unwind, perhaps taking a restorative stroll along the iconic sands of Fistral Beach. Given the region's welcoming reputation, finding dog friendly accommodation nearby makes it easy for visitors and residents alike to enjoy the dramatic clifftop views with their pets. This situation highlights the vulnerability of our local outbuildings to extreme weather and serves as a reminder for Cornish smallholders to secure their properties ahead of the winter season. We should keep an eye on Dominic's progress on his YouTube channel and on The Repair Shop on BBC One. If you see him out and about in the community, be sure to offer a warm Cornish welcome and wish him a speedy recovery. After all, keeping our local craft heritage alive is a team effort, and we cannot wait to see his Cornish workshop fully operational.
Source: The Repair Shop's Dominic Chinea taken aback as co-star sparks ‘illegal' fears
