PRESS INFORMATION ________________________________________________

Disabled Driver of the Year Competition

VENUE: Beaulieu Motor Museum, New Forest, Hampshire, during the "Freedom Festival", celebrating 75 years of the Disabled Drivers' Motor Club

Twenty Orange Badge holders from across the whole of the south of the UK - from Birmingham down - line up for the southern final of the 1997 RAC Response Disabled Driver of the Year Competition, at Beaulieu Motor Museum, Hampshire, on June 7.

Nearly 1,000 Orange Badge holders from across the nation entered the RAC's biennial competition which, in spotlighting skill and ability - not disability - is out to find the UK's top disabled driver. As well as the southern heat, a northern final, covering another 20 shortlisted contestants, will be held in Leeds on July 15.

The overall winner of both the southern and northern heats, plus the three highest scoring runners-up at both regional events, go forward to the national final, at Brands Hatch on September 10 and 11. As well as taking the title of the UK's champion disabled driver, the outright winner at Brands Hatch will win a £2,500 holiday of a lifetime abroad.

In the all-day southern heat, on June 7, 16 men and four women - aged from 26 to 72 - will have to prove their driving skill and accuracy in a series of road manoeuvres and a practical driving test, judged by examiners from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (lAM).

Of the 20 southern finalists, from as far afield as Birmingham and the Isle of Wight, nine are wheelchair users. They include the reigning, 1995 RAC champion disabled driver, former docker, Bob Nutbean, 45, of Plymouth - a paraplegic since an accident at work in the mid 80s.

Also lining up in the southern heat with be two single mothers; a former fireman; two ex-army men; a 26-year-old accountant just returning from his honeymoon; a former shopkeeper and a medical insurance consultant, paraplegic, Shaun Newcomb, 39, of Hampshire, who took the title of the UK's champion disabled driver in 1991 - the first year the biennial contest was held.

Finalists at both the southern and northern heats of the RAC's competition will each win a year's membership to RAC Response, the special rescue and recovery service for disabled drivers. The two overall heat winners will also win a shortbreak holiday to a luxury UK hotel.

THE 1997 RAC RESPONSE DISABLED DRIVER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

The following 20 shortlisted competitors will be lining up for the southern region final of the competition, to be held at Beaulieu Motor Museum, Hampshire, on Saturday, June 7. The competition starts at 10.30a.m. with results announced approx. 5.3Opm when trophies will be presented by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.

Former HGV driver and engineer Joe Bedworth, 58, of Tile Cross, Birmingham. Right arm amputated after cancer in 1971. Married. One daughter.

  Payroll administrator Peter Mounsey, 49, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. Paralysed in both legs from childhood polio. Relies on crutches and callipers. Married. Will compete with broken leg, in plaster after a recent fall, working on his car - an automatic with hand contrpls.

  Retired plumbing and central heating contractor George Morgan, early seventies, Gabalfa, Cardiff. Has suffered from progressive arthritis for the last 30 years.

  Retired driving school owner and instructor, Ted Wakely, 62, of Rhiwbana, Cardiff. Life-saving operation 18 months ago left him paralysed from the waist down. Wheelchair user. Father of three; grandfather of six.

Former truck driver Ken Cushen, 65, of West Knighton, Dorchester, Dorset. Severely injured left leg from car accident 10 years ago, shortly after ending a 23-year army career as a signal sergeant with the Royal Engineers. Father of two.

Former pharmaceutical sales representative Anne Greenaway, 43, of Little Thu rrock, Grays, Essex. Divorced. Mother of two. Born with rare hereditary lung disease, emphysema.

Mary Baker, 32, of Loughton, Essex. Born with Spina Bifida. Wheelchair user.

Former fireman George Ridgeon, 53, of Churcham, Gloucester. Paralysed from the neck down in a fall from a ladder when on duty 16 years ago. Wheelchair user. Bachelor.

Single mum, Linda Wright, 39, of Liphook, Hants. Born with one leg shorter than the other. Series of major operations in recent years. Teacher. Will be at final with eight-year-old son, Thomas.

Medical insurance consultant Shaun Newcomb, 39, of Lymington, Hants. 1991 RAC champion disabled driver. Damaged spine in a car accident 21 years ago. Wheelchair user. First paraplegic to gain a full motor racing licence from the RAC Motor Sports Association

Ex-army driver Kevin Pearson, 35, of New Milton, Hants. Crushed by a truck when on duty in Germany. Injured again in a motorcycle accident while serving in the Gulf War. Father-of-two.

Accountant Glen Moreton, 26, of Sandown, Isle of Wight. Broke his neck diving in shallow water ten years ago. Wheelchair user. Married girlfriend on May 24. Travels to final from his honeymoon.

Voluntary worker Jim Lillington, 62, of Rickmansworth, Herts. Retired printer. Polio since childhood. Father of three. Walks with two sticks and a calliper.

Voluntary school run driver, Pauline King, 43, of Ruislip Manor, Middlesex. Polio since birth. Wears a calliper. Married. One daughter.

Former milkman Grenville Johnson, 55, of Clevedon, North Somerset. Severe back problems caused by three slipped discs and sciatica. I daughter.

Defending champion, former docker Bob Nutbean, 45, of Cattedown, Plymouth, Devon. Father-oftwo. Paraplegic since injuring his back in an accident at work. Wheelchair user. Current RAC champion disabled driver.

Retired shop owncr Tony Down, 56, of Winterbourne, South GloucestersI' ire. Father of two. Multiple sclerosis. Electric wheelchair user. MS stopped Tony driving for a decade - only returned to the road two years ago.

Retired plastics fabricator and technician, Trevor Green, 48, of Caterham, Surrey. Multiple sclerosis. Wheelchair user. Father of two grown up sons.

Former farmworker Peter Baker, 55, of Chippenham, Wiltshire. Peter broke his spine in an accident

12 years ago. Wheelchair user. Father of two. Retrained to work in electronics. Major back operation forced retirement.

Nick Bevan, 35, of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Bone cancer as a teenager. Left leg amputated above the knee Fitted with an artificial leg. Father-of-two. Works as a cleaning contractor.

More information from Judith Cashman on 01454 208 273 or John Hutson on 01454 208 278.

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