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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Dancing digger

What started as a trick at a school fete has turned into a festival favourite for farmer Wilf Bown and his dancing JCB digger, as he manoeouvres it at gravity-defying angles to a soaring rock n'roll soundtrack.
"I've driven tractors and diggers for some 40 years and at the weekends I do this for a hobby because I enjoy going to shows, talking to lots of different people and giving people pleasure."
It all started about twenty years ago when Wilf took his JCB along to a summer fete at the school attended by his three young children.
"I pinned a balloon to the floor and the kids tried to burst it using the back bucket" he said.
"Then I tipped it over a bit and lifted it up a bit and they all loved it". A few local shows followed but then in 2004 Wilf was invited to the popular Elvaston Steam Rally in Derby.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Unlucky 13

Friday the 13th is often thought of as an unlucky day - and it lived up to its reputation for one youngster. 
At precisely 13:13, a boy aged 13 was seen by the St John Ambulance team at Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival in Suffolk, England, after he was struck by lightning, a spokesman said.
The boy suffered a minor burn and was taken to James Paget Hospital, where he is expected to make a full recovery.
Jason Gillingham, county ambulance officer and on scene at the show, said: ''This was a very minor burn to the boy's shoulder, but he was conveyed to hospital and is recovering well."
A second teenager and a woman were also struck by lightning but did not need hospital treatment.