941 miles on a moped for Scarborough RNLI
With a big birthday hoving into view, an RNLI supporter decided to celebrate by driving from Lands End to John O’Groats on a 10-year-old 49cc moped with a top speed of 30mph.
Col Stead, who will be 60 in November, spent four and a half days days in June driving 941 miles.
He had to use smaller roads as vehicles with engines smaller than 50cc aren’t allowed on motorways.
He and his wife Karen bought a couple of spare wheels, hired a van and transported the four-stroke Piaggio Zip to Lands End. As Col slowly made his way north, Karen preceded him in the support van and waited at that night’s stopping place. At journey’s end, the moped went back in the van for the long drive home to Pickering.
Nothing went wrong: no punctures, no breakdowns, no mishaps. Being a long-distance lorry driver helped, as he knows all the roads. Col’s employer, GE Smith of Malton, sponsored the fuel.
'I wanted to do something memorable, with my 60th coming up', said Col, who squeezed in a bit of tourism en route.
Through a Justgiving page and a collection tin, Col raised £591.25 for Scarborough RNLI, which he and Karen presented to lifeboat personnel today. Another £100 was donated to Redcar RNLI by a friend.
Col is planning another collection for the RNLI at his birthday party.
* For details, ring Scarborough RNLI press officer Dave Barry on 07890 322992.
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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