The pupils of Hexham First School had an unexpected lunchtime treat today when a couple of high speed, and high revving, rally cars turned up in the playground to show the children the type of car that will be competing on this weekend’s Kielder Forest Rally but it was when the ignition was switched on and the cars powerful engines burst into life creating a crescendo of noise that the excitement really kicked in with the excited children, not to mention members of staff, cheering wildly.
The cars on show were two vastly different machines, one was the Ford Escort MK2 of Paul Fry who will be running as zero car on the event while the other was David Henderson’s recently acquired Ford Fiesta, David isn’t actually doing the Kielder Forest Rally as he is competing on next weekend’s Argyll Stages but he sportingly brought the car along to show the children what a modern state of the art rally car looks, and sounds, like.
While the teachers took loads of pictures, the children inundated the drivers with dozens of questions, from “How fast does it go” to “Where do you put your luggage”, they took a really keen interest, being fascinated by the car’s sophisticated dashboard that bears more resemblance an aeroplane than a family car and the built-in fire extinguishers that can put out flames in seconds, they really were thrilled that the rally had paid the school a visit.
One person who took a really close interest in the cars was teaching assistant, Michelle Ackland who was interested in competing when she was younger but never had the opportunity. So, she was thrilled to have the chance to try out the driver’s seat in the futuristic Ford Fiesta.
The organisers of the Kielder Forest Rally are extremely grateful to the school’s headmistress, Mrs. Overton, for organising the visit which was a major success for all concerned and certainly something for the children to tell their parents when they got home.
