CAR dismantler Ian Wilson spent the last two years doing the opposite of what he's trained to do.

The father-of-three from Ribbleton, Preston, has been working round the clock in his spare time making miniature electric cars as toys for his children.

Rooting through bits of old bangers at the Darwen Car Dismantlers where he works, Ian has found almost all the parts he needs for his mini-motors.

He said: "I took bits off cars and moulded them into shape, welded pieces on and took bits off."

But the gleaming new toys are unrecognisable from the scrap motors out of which came.

The cars are made of plywood and Ian has sanded and painted every inch of them.

Now they are finished, he's so proud of his work. So too are children, Ian junior, 10 and seven-year-old Heather, who drive them about the cul-de-sac where they live.

"They love it," Ian said. "In fact we can't get them out of them."

Ian has since built another car for his children's school, Greenlands County Primary, to raffle in the Christmas draw.

He said: "I took it to school last week and the reaction was fantastic, I felt like the Pied Piper."

Headteacher Sylvia Wardley was overwhelmed. She said: "I'm so impressed with the amount of thought and workmanship that has gone into it. We're hoping to raise £1,000 from the raffle to go towards school funds."

Anyone who wants to see the car for themselves and buy a ticket (50p) for the draw should go to Hunters Scotch Corner upstairs in the indoor market in Preston town centre.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.