A FATHER and son team from Winkleigh recently competed in a national 4x4 off-road driving competition against top drivers from the forces.

The Rickshaw Ramble is an annual event open to members of the Regular and Territorial Army, Navy and Air Force as well as those of the Federation of Police Motor Sports Clubs and invited guests.

The two-day event took place on military training areas on Salisbury Plain, covering an area of 150-square miles, crossing public roads only at tank crossing points.

Ian Shacklock, of MTF Training, at Moortown Farm, Winkleigh, was behind the wheel while young son Tom handled navigational duties.

As an instructor with MTF Training, Ian has competed in regular organised 4x4 trials for several years, while what son Tom lacks in experience he more than makes up for in enthusiasm.

Ian?s regular partner for such special events is senior instructor Howard Farmer from Cornwall, but as he was unavailable, Chulmleigh Community College pupil Tom volunteered to take on the challenge.

Tom had proved his navigational skills at an earlier event, but this was his first major competition. Ian and Tom competed in a standard short wheelbase LandRover of the type generally used at the training site at Winkleigh.

Tom said: ?Navigating is very difficult as we were bouncing around tracks made by heavy military vehicles. It was brilliant. I would have my head in a map one moment, look up and there would be a tank alongside.?

The team went on to finish 18th out of the 42 starters.

The prestigious Rickshaw Ramble is one of the few military training competitions which civilians are invited to take part in.

A mark of how seriously the Army takes the competition was that several teams were flown home specially from various international stations, including one from Baghdad, to take part.

The event has been running for more than ten years and aims to introduce individuals to the challenges and excitement of competitive navigational exercises, helping them develop driving skills, vehicle handling and navigational ability within a controlled framework of varied terrain, mostly off-road.

Among the event disciplines during the two days were the scatter, extreme orienteering, safari and daylight and night trials.