Thanks to the endeavours of a group of Massey Ferguson vintage tractor enthusiasts, over £5500 has been presented to the Diabetes Research Group at Kings College, London.

A cavalcade of 19 vintage red and grey Massey Ferguson tractors completed a 17-mile crossing of the treacherous sands at Morecambe Bay last year to raise money for the charity.

At the head of the convoy was mastermind of the event, 81-year-old retired Massey Ferguson employee Bob Dickman driving his 1954 Ferguson TEF 20 tractor. Massey Ferguson supported the event with the supply of raffle prizes including an all-expenses-paid trip for two people to its tractor factory in Beauvais, France.

Bob was delighted to hand over the cheque to the Professor of Endocrine Biology at Kings College, Peter Jones.

“We were thrilled to raise £5,554.00 which was more than double our original target,” says Bob. “We are also hoping to make a further contribution from sales of the DVD of the Morecambe Bay event. The Diabetes Research Group is doing great work and we are pleased to add to their much-needed funds.”

Winner of the top prizes in the Massey Ferguson raffle were Steve Morris and Alister Renton. Steve, who helped organise the guides for the tractor crossing, is a Type 1 Diabetes sufferer and his family has farmed in the Morecambe Bay area for many generations. Alister is the father of four-year-old Neev who also suffers from Type 1 Diabetes and who waved the flag to set off the tractor convoy on the day.