Nine-year-old Buddy Antcliff has well and truly been bitten by the vintage tractor bug, and together with his grandad Steve Lyne, has painstakingly restored a 1947 David Brown Cropmaster. "His grandad is a fanatic of classic tractors, and ever since Buddy was tiny he has always shown an interest in helping him on the farm and in his workshop," explains his mother, Rachel Antcliff.

"We don't really see him at the weekend, as he stays with his grandad from Friday night until Sunday night – they have a very good bond and they do up all sorts of things," she says.

And excitingly, Buddy was gifted a vintage tractor of his own to restore, from Michael Hart, long-time supporter of the Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show, and friend of Mr Lyne. "Michael had to give up his storage and needed to find a new home for some bits; he knew Buddy was interested in tractors and enjoyed tinkering in the workshop with Grandad, so he donated it," explains Mrs Antcliff.

"Michael is also very conscious about supporting and encouraging the next generation of tractor restorers.

"That was last year; they went to collect it from his farm and Buddy has been painstakingly taking it apart and putting it back together. It didn't run at all, so they have stripped it down to the bare bones. He had the tyres for his Christmas present, and now it runs and can be driven."

Buddy's efforts will be on show at the Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show this year. "He has also just joined the David Brown Tractor Club, and hopes to be able to join their stand at the show," says Mrs Antcliff. "He is also planning to display pictures from the restoration, from finding it in the field to the finished product."

 

And he's already onto his next project. "He has been given two Wheel Horse tractors, and he plans to make one good one, out of the two, so he's in the process of stripping those down.