HE may not have many stories about the war — but Neil Longworth travelled more than 1,500 miles in the back of a Robin Reliant dressed as Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses.

Mr Longworth and his two friends, who dressed up as Del Boy and Rodney, travelled from England to Benidorm via France in a yellow three-wheeler similar to the iconic car from the classic British sitcom.

The group made the three-day journey as part of a nationwide challenge called ‘Benidorm or Bust’, where vehicles drive from anywhere in the UK to Benidorm in three days.

And the trip sounded like something out of the famous sitcom.

Mr Longworth, a joiner, aged 39, said: “When we were driving through France and Spain it was very hot and the van was very basic.

“It couldn’t go faster than 50mph and I was constantly standing up and sitting down so I didn’t feel too uncomfortable.

“We only had one CD in the van the whole way, which was the Only Fools and Horses soundtrack — I probably know all the words, I listened to it so many times.”

They took on the challenge to raise more than £3,000 for the baby care unit at Mansfield Hospital, where the daughter of Mr Longworth’s friend, Jamie Duffin, was treated after being born prematurely.

Mr Longworth, from Little Lever, drove from Bolton to Mansfield, where he met his friends and “became” Uncle Albert.

His friends Mr Duffin and Ashley Poxson, both from Mansfield, dressed up as Batman and Robin, from the Only Fools and Horses episode ‘Heroes and Villans’.

The group then drove from Mansfield to Dover, caught the ferry from Dover to Calais and drove through France and Spain before arriving in Benidorm after four days.

Mr Longworth said: “The other cars were beeping at us in encouragement and the French police loved us. We had a great time.

“It was the first time I’ve ever done something like this — but I would definitely do it again.”

When the group arrived in Spain, they were joined by more than 70 other vehicles, but had the only three-wheeler vehicle.

They were given a medal and a certificate for their efforts.

Benidorm or Bust is split — on day one, participants drive from Calais to Poitiers in west-central France, before driving from Poitiers to Zaragoza in Spain on day two.

They finish the challenge by driving from Zaragoza to Benidorm on day three.

Uncle Albert’s pearls of wisdom...

HERE, in no particular order, are The Bolton News’ top three Uncle Albert quotes.

Uncle Albert: During the war...
Del Boy: If you say during the war one more time, I’ll pour this cup of tea over your head.
Uncle Albert: During the 1939-1945 conflict with Germany...
(‘Time on Our Hands’, 1996)

 

Del Boy: Now this is a ‘Jaws’ type story.
Rodney: But Jaws has been done already, Del.
Del Boy: I know, this is different. It's called, ‘There Is A Rhino Loose In The City!’
Rodney: There Is A...? Loose in...? as in a rhinoceros?
Del Boy: That’s right. 'There Is A Rhino Loose in The City!'
Uncle Albert: What’s it about, Del?
(‘Video Nasty’, 1986)

Jumbo Mills: I'm not bald.
Uncle Albert: No? Well that's one helluva parting you got there then!
(‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’, 1986)