A driver joined a national event to celebrate classic vehicles in his treasured car which he saved from the scrapyard.

Drummond Challis drove his near 100-year-old Alvis to Cornwall from his Tavistock home to join ‘Drive It Day’ on Sunday, April 26.

He joined about 30 cars, including those from the Alvis Owners Club at a meet at the National Trust property Trerice near Newquay.

The event brought together classic and historic vehicle owners across the UK to celebrate transport heritage while raising funds for the NSPCC’s Childline Service.

Drummond said the day demonstrated Britain’s engineering and design skills to the wider public: “A lot of vintage and classic cars were out on our roads for Drive it Day. More and more other drivers do not respect our great motoring heritage and can sometimes be impolite to such cars and their drivers.”

He said the idea of the nationwide rally was to bring the cars alive and on the road to be seen by as many people as possible. This was preferable to them gathering dust in museums where only enthusiasts see them.

“We should be proud of our great motoring heritage. The greatest of any country in the world. The people who drive cars such as mine are guardians of this heritage. It would be a shame if it was restricted to museums. Steam enthusiasts pay money to see their ‘heroes’.”

His stately 1930 Silver Eagle Alvis Beetleback (2125 cc, six cylinders with three SU carburettors) is called Erica. She is more than a highly polished vintage to be admired in the garage - Drummond drives her regularly and has even driven long distances on two continents.

Sporty Erica is no slouch, finishing sixth out of over 100 cars in a mountain rally in the US: “In 2000 we took her to America to drive in a Millennium rally. We drove from bottom to top of the mountains, along the ridges of the Appellations, Adirondacks and Catskills, ending up on the Canadian border.

“Subsequently, we have driven her as far east as Budapest, a trip down the Outer Hebrides, Spain and of course many trips to Brittany and France.”

Designed as a high quality sporty car, Erica was rescued from a scrapyard by one of Drummond’s friends 60 years ago and he and others rebuilt her, with a complete chassis-up renovation and engine rebuild. Eventually the car was back on the road in 1995.

Erica has her own vintage quirks: “With the accelerator in the middle, the gearstick on the right with absolutely no synchromesh, Erica can be a challenge to drive.

“But she is always fun with the hood down speeding along our lovely Devon lanes. You sit up high enough to see over the walls and hedges. She loves a run along the coast. I think the cool sea air helps engine combustion,” said her owner.

Established in 2005 by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC), Drive It Day is an annual event commemorating the 1900 1,000-mile trial, originally organised to prove the viability of the then fledgling car.