The year was 1966 and what I really wanted to do was buy a Greeves Challenger, and start competing in motorcycle scrambles. The problem was…I couldn’t afford one.

However, back in the sixties, there was also a sport called Scooter Scrambling, where standard scooters, mainly Vespas and Lambrettas, were stripped down and used for off road events. It was a lot cheaper to compete in scooter scrambles than in motorcycle events, so that was the choice for me.

A 150cc LD Lambretta was purchased, and attacked with a hacksaw and hammer to remove most of the surplus bodywork, and after the local garage had helped by welding on footrests, a bracing bar for the frame, some cultivator tyres with a tread pattern like that on a tractor were fitted, and the little Lambretta looked ready to go. The next problem was how to get it to my first race. My transport at the time was a Messerschmitt 3-wheeler bubble car, so though it wasn’t an ideal towing vehicle it would have to do. A tow bar was made, and a very basic trailer constructed rather hastily and just before race day, everything seemed to be finished.

Early on a Sunday morning I set out for my first race at Elstead in Surrey. With its 200cc two stroke engine, the Messerschmitt was struggling a bit towing a trailer and scooter, but everything was going OK until we got somewhere near Reading. The tow bar broke and I was overtaken by my own trailer which then overturned in front of me!! It did cause some panic amongst the time trialling cyclists I was overtaking at the time, but luckily it didn’t hit anybody or anything and the trailer came to rest upside down, but on the correct side of the road. I was right outside a pub so the trailer and scooter were pushed into the car park, and I decided that although it seemed unlikely, there was still a chance I could race in the event. Leaving the scooter and trailer there, I drove back the 30 or so miles to home and picked up the Tax Disc and number plates for the Lambretta. Although it was stripped down, and nowhere near legal it was still taxed and registered, so my father got out his Ford Anglia and drove me back to Reading, where I fitted the plates and started to ride the scooter to the event. It was very noisy, and the tractor treaded tyres not ideal for riding on tarmac, but I did make it to the start line just in time. I did my practice laps of a very muddy course, and took part in my first race.