12:00pm Thursday 22nd April 2010
By Paul Broome
A YOUNG Farmer is taking the slow lane to success as he hits the road for an unusual charity fund-raiser.
Antony Morris will ride a souped-up mower from Bromyard to Torquay today (Thursday) to raise money for the Midlands Air Ambulance.
The 19-year-old says he was persuaded to take on the bizarre challenge by fellow members of the Saltmarsh Young Farmers Club near Bromyard because of his reputation for riding his mower everywhere.
On reaching the popular south coast town, Antony will attend the national YFC annual meeting.
“I’m hoping to do it over two days but we’ll see how I get on,” said Antony, who lives and works on his family’s farm in Acton Beauchamp.
“I’ve received clearance from the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) to drive it on the roads, although obviously I’m not allowed to go on the motorway.”
He has fixed a different gearbox to the mower, which has a 14 horsepower engine and can travel up to 35 miles per hour, and installed brake calipers from a car. It has taken him about a month to transform.
Antony will follow a friend in an escort vehicle throughout the near-200 mile trip.
He says 80 per cent of funds received will go to the air ambulance, with the rest going to Young Farmers, with which he has been involved since the age of 10.
“The air ambulance does such a good job and you get to see exactly where your money goes,” he said.
Antony sets off at 10.30am from Bromyard’s Conquest Theatre car park, where sponsorship buckets will be available for wellwishers to donate.
Sponsorship forms are also available from agricultural engineers Morris Corfield and Co at Hatfield, near Leominster.
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