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Nicholas on a Roy Cooper 1950's pennyfathing

FIVE-year old Nicholas Pain from Fordingbridge has mastered the art of riding a pennyfarthing in one afternoon!

A pupil at Fordingbridge Infants School, Nicholas regularly rides to school on a 1950s Raleigh Winkey and last Sunday his father, also Nicholas, bought a penny farthing from a boot fair.

He paid about £100 for the child's penny farthing - a Roy Cooper, dating back to the 1950s.

And three of Nicholas junior's four siblings are also involved with getting around on old relics - including Cindy-Lou aged 11 months, who is pushed around by mum Georgie in a 1950s vintage pram.

Georgie joked: "We do warn them that when they are naughty they will be sent to the circus!"

She said that husband Nicholas has a penchant for collecting and doing up old bicycles.

Last year's project was a Raleigh Hercules that he had sprayed in bubblegum pink.

"The spraying cost about £60, but the bike only cost him a fiver," she said.

"The neighbours must think we are mad. There's a 90 year old lady at the end of the road who's always looking out the window at us and on the estate behind us the kids are always looking to see what bikes we are on today.

"The old people love to see it too.

"My husband says it brings the old back into Fordingbridge!"

Nicholas Junior said he enjoyed riding the penny farthing because he particularly liked the big wheel at the front.

"And I'm looking forward to joining the circus when I'm naughty!" he added.

11:50am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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