Kevin’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica raises smiles at children’s hospice
A dedicated super fan of the 1968 classic film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang embarked on a lockdown project to create a replica of the flying car featured in the film.
Kevin Edge, a retired kitchen fitter from Lympstone, made the magical car in his workshop, using various materials, including household objects such as a toilet brush holder and a thermal flask.
Members of the community donated parts to support Kevin’s creation; a local garage donated car dials, while an upholsterer donated real leather for the seats.
Kevin, 72, who worked on Chitty for two years, has donated the car to Children’s Hospice South West, where it is already being enjoyed by children at the charity’s Charlton Farm hospice near Bristol.
Karen Greaves, Head of Care at Charlton Farm, said: “Kevin’s beautiful car takes pride of place at the family entrance to the hospice, and is such a joyous thing for families to see when they visit Charlton Farm.
It has already been a huge hit at the hospice and we’ve got plans to give the wall next to Chitty a sky theme to really give her wings.
Kevin, who has also built a Thomas the Tank Engine replica will soon be working on a Tardis and a Dalek from the sci-fi TV programme, Doctor Who. Kevin said he was touched by the work of the charity and hoped he could ‘bring some sunshine into the lives of children at the hospice’.