A RYEDALE man has fulfilled a lifetime ambition to restore a vintage vehicle.

Andy Stanton, who lives in Kirkbymoorside, has transformed a 1971 Scammell to the original colours of Hargreaves Quarries.

A supply salesman to workshops and garages, Andy said he had spent much of his childhood with his father who drove for the company for 43 years.

“Every holidays and at weekends if he was working I would be out in a lorry with my dad, John,” he added.

“My granddad and two of my uncles also worked for the quarry as well which had it’s head office in Pickering before it closed in the late 1980s.”

Last year Andy bought the Scammell which has previously been a breakdown recovery lorry for a bus company in Leeds.

“Mechanically it was fine but it did need a lot of cosmetic work,” he added.

“I started in August and spent most weekends and evenings working on the vehicle to bring it up to scratch.”

Following a re-spray by John Fenwick, based in Showfield Lane in Malton, Andy was able to drive the fully restored lorry back to Kirkbymoorside.

“When I got home I found over 20 comments on Facebook from people who had seen it and since then I have had some really positive feedback,” he said.

Andy now intends to take the lorry to steam shows and historic vehicle events as well as taking part in a road run from Hull to Bridlington.

“I am over the moon with the finished vehicle - it really couldn’t be any better, I’m thrilled,” he added.

“I’ve got the bug now so if I see something else I fancy I may well have another go as it has given me so much satisfaction.”