A WOKING man is planning to drive a 67-year-old tractor 485 miles to his sister’s farm in Ireland and raise money for the local hospice.

John Leane was recently given the 1952 vintage grey Ferguson by local company Roles Broderick Roofing and decided to give it to his sister in Knocknagoshel, a small village in County Kerry, southwest Ireland. He considered having the tractor transported but then decided to deliver it himself.

John hopes that the journey will take seven days and will be followed by his wife Halina in their camper van.

His family is from the Irish village, which has a population of around 800.

“My parents moved to London to find work after the Second World War. I used to visit my sister in Knocknagoshel every summer to work on her farm,” John says.

He decided the journey could also help to raise money for charities and has set up a Just Giving page with half the money raised going to Woking & Sam Beare Hospices. The rest will go to Pieta House, an Ireland-based suicide and self-harm crisis service and suicide bereavement service.

John has planned the route, including the overnight stops and intends to start off on Saturday 8 August next year.

He runs a vehicle servicing business from Pool Road and has lived in Woking since he and Halina married 41 years ago when they were living in London.

For the full story get the 9 January edition of the News & Mail