It was a 'blast from the past' for a Sidmouth care home resident when he re-encountered a sports car he and his wife had driven for 29 years.

The present owner of the MG BGT, who lives in Kent, tracked Brian Pankhurst down and drove the car all the way to Sidmouth to meet him. 

Brian and his wife Janet had bought the MG in the 1980s and used to drive it around with their dogs on board. They treasured the vehicle and rebuilt it twice during their ownership. Brian eventually sold it  around 10 years ago.

In 2015 it changed hands again after being bought by Nick Evans from Kent. Seeing the details of previous owners on the car's paperwork, he decided to contact Brian, who is now a resident at Vale View Heights in Fortescue Road.

He tracked Brian down through the local Rotary Club and contacted him in early 2020, but their communication broke down during the Covid pandemic. Earlier this year Nick renewed contact and they arranged for Nick to come down in the car for a visit in September.

The two car enthusiasts enjoyed chatting about the MG, which Nick has also lovingly rebuilt during his ownership. The car is now 50 years old. Nick said it was a pleasure to meet Brian and get a perspective on the car's 'other life' as the Pankhursts' cherished vehicle.