Event Flashback

Big Yellow Car Convoy, Bibury, Gloucs, April 2017

Aconvoy of cars ranging from a Ford Consul to a modern Lamborghini that descended on a Cotswold village in 2017 had one thing in common – they were yellow.

Their occupants and the cheering crowds lining the streets of Bibury in Gloucestershire had a common goal – to pledge support and offer condolences to 84-year-old Bibury resident Peter Maddox, who had suffered at the hands of mindless vandals.

Peter’s vivid yellow Vauxhall Corsa was attacked while parked on Bibury’s 17th century Arlington Row, one of Britain’s most historic and photographed collection of houses.

The culprits, who we understand were never traced, felt that Peter’s car was spoiling the view, and that this was good reason to vandalise it, including careful etching of the words ‘move this’ on the bonnet. The vandalism angered a lot of people, who rallied to Peter’s support and finally, Tanya Field, who organises the Cowley Convoy, and car valeter, Matty Bee, got together to stage the event with applicants flooding in from all over the country.

A delighted Peter watched the cars passing through the village with his family. He said: ‘I was shocked by what happened to my car. I am overwhelmed by everything people have done for me. Thank you.’

The convoy started and finished at the Cotswold Wildlife Park, where Peter, who began motoring in the 1950s with a 1930s Wolseley, chose his top three cars.

In third place was a 2005 Lamborghini Gallardo owned by Sandro Roppa, in second, a new Vauxhall Corsa and the winner was a 1960 Messerschmitt that was owned by Ian Andrews. An assortment of MGs, a Triumph Stag, a Ford Fiesta MkII, a DAF, TVR and ‘Albert’, a Morris Traveller, were among the other automotive stars who turned up to the unique event.

It was a genuinely fantastic occasion all round, with participants and spectators going so far as to wear yellow garments to match their cars. Even Vauxhall joined in with the fun, making sure that Peter got a very good deal on a new Corsa, though this one was finished in a rather more sober shade of grey!

The event wouldn’t have been the same without a Mimosa Yellow Stag.

Chris Edgell’s 51,000-mile 1960 Ford Consul brought a slightly subtler shade to proceedings.

Albert the modified Morris Traveller was definitely on one of his biggest adventures down in the village of Bibury.

Yellow cars galore took to the streets for a good cause.

A sea of vivid yellow on show at Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Diane Billing with the 1999 Fiat Barchetta that she’d owned for 15 years at the time.