13:1 ighlight of the year in Talsarnau, Wales is the
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annual banger race when 170 old vehicles spend a day being thrashed to death in a series of gruelling events, culminating in a spectacular, teeth-grating demolition derby,
To lend the event a note of respectability, all proceeds go to charity. Entering into the spirit of this year's mayhem were Shaun Gent's Lancashire wrecking team who, with a little help from their friends, transported nine old bangers to the event.
Shaun, who is rental manager for Al Self Drive at Warrington, told one of his suppliers, Leyland Daf's sales manager Paul Entwistle, of his difficulty in getting such an unroadworthy fleet to Talsarnau, 160 miles away. No problem, said Paul; I know a man who can help. He introduced Shaun to Dave Cummins, transport manager of TVR Cars, the Blackpool manufacturer of those desirable sports cars which leave little change out of 435,000 a time when purchased new TVR lent Shaun a Leyland Daf 85 Series Unit and seven-air trailer and a Leyland Roadrunner two-car transporter for the big day, each with a full tank.
"The convoy must have turned a few heads on route," muses Shaun. "The 85 normally carries £245,000 worth of sports cars not £200 worth of scrap." What matter pride? On the day more than £10,000 was raised for charities, a record in the event's 14-year history.