Les died in May 2012 aged 91. His father changed the family name from Fingleston to Leston in 1927, so his drumming exploits would have been under this name. A search of the internet show plenty of references on motor racing sites to his playing with Jonny Claes' Clay Pigeons, Bert Ambrose's band, George Shearing etc, but I couldn't find any reference to him on any Jazz sites relating to those bands. Just Urban Legend, perhaps?

Also apparently took part in street fights in London's East End in Jewish gangs against the 'Black Shirts' of Sir Oswald Moseley's British Nazi Party.(? more legend)

But a useful driver in 1950's top runner in 500 cc Formula 3, drove sports cars for Aston-Martin and F1 'driver-for hire' for BRM and Connaught.

Stu Buchanan