Pink paint job for cancer fund-raising rally

Car body shop boss Richard Gamlin is about to get behind the wheel of a bright pink hatchback to raise money for children with cancer.

Richard, who owns Cromhall Refinishing in Thornbury, gave the 1996 N-reg Mazda the makeover after another garage in the town donated it for the charity run.

It will now join a convoy of other pink cars setting off from Hereford to Birmingham Children's Hospital on Sunday in aid of the Little Princess Trust.

The charity provides real hair wigs for children who lose their hair, primarily through cancer treatment.

Last year its inaugural pink car rally involved drivers travelling from Hereford to Bristol Children's Hospital, and in the next few years the cars will visit a variety of hospitals in different parts of the country.

Richard, 43, heard about the drive just before going on holiday with his family so it has been a rush to get the car resprayed in time.

He even used a special American pink paint for the car, which will be auctioned once the run is over.

Richard said: "It's the same shade that's used on Cadillacs and I hope it will fetch between £1,500 and £2,000 when it's auctioned."

His son, Harry, nine, will join him on the rally, and his daughter Toni-Ann, 22, is also considering taking part.

It is also likely another car will undergo the pink treatment for next year's drive to Oxford.

Richard said: "It would be nice if a dealer could donate something a bit newer for that one."

Three Thornbury-based companies have helped Richard with the Mazda – Thornbury Tyre Services, Thornbury Motors and Interpro Motor Supplies. Bristol firms Car Paint Warehouse and Action Windscreen Services also contributed to the effort to get the car ready in time.