It’s the kind of revenge it takes a special mind to dream up.

Ever since the morning after the Two Ronnies first broadcast their now legendary sketch, anyone working in a hardware shop has had to put up with customers coming in and asking for ‘fork handles’.

Almost 40 years on, and presumably after having heard the joke several thousand times, one shopkeeper snapped.

Tony Walker, the owner of Croxley Hardware, invented something that was both fork handles, and four candles.

Even describing it, four fork handle candles, sounds like the kind of tongue twister Ronnie Barker could have written.

And now whoever asks for either of the two items can be directed to the display on the wall, quoted a suitably high price and sent on their way.

Do you suppose he’s got any bill hooks?