Colourful convoy lights up town
MORE than 100 tractors donned lights, tinsel and other festive decorations and delighted thousands watching on the route as they toured the island on Saturday evening as part of the fourth Guernsey Christmas Tractor Run.
Hundreds more caught a closer glimpse of the record 106 vehicles at a pre-run display at Les Beaucamps High School before they set off. The tractors had to be split into two groups on the run, due to a few slower tractors in the middle of the convoy.
However, this did not disrupt proceedings too much, with the tractors driving past sites including Vale Castle, St Julian’s Roundabout and the airport before finishing at Vistas at Vazon.
The event was raising money this year for Guernsey Mind, and CEO Jo Cottell said the charity was delighted to have been named as a beneficiary.
‘It’s just such a wonderful Christmas event, and I want to thank people for their generosity towards us,’ she said.
One of the biggest groups taking part were the O’Reillys, with 11 family members sat in a lit-up trailer being pulled along by a tractor.
Emma O’Reilly said the family was taking part for the third time, adding they had started decorating their transport on Wednesday.
‘We add more to our display every year, this year on top of the lights we’ve got reindeer antlers on the front,’ she said.
‘The kids love to get involved in it and us adults do too. As long as you wrap up warm it’s great.’
Friends Damien Albin, Ryan Domaille, Jack Simmonds and Daniel Bougourd – all dressed as Father Christmas – had the responsibility of pulling along a crew from Aurigny, who were aboard the nose of the airline’s popular former plane G-JOEY, which had been decked out in lights.
‘We’ve all done it before, but not with Aurigny, it’s an honour to pull Joey along,’ Mr Albin said.
‘You get such a buzz from the people along the route who are clapping and cheering, that’s my favourite part.’
Also getting involved in the action was Fire & Rescue, with firefighters Ollie Patch and Glen Hamon bringing along one of the service’s engines, complete with 1,800 LED lights.
‘On Friday we asked our boss if we could take part and he gave it his blessing,’ Mr Patch said.
‘We’ve had to limit the number of lights we’ve put on it just in case we are called into action over the course of the evening, but it’s still pretty bright.’
