Shipdham man sells his Triumph Renown after nearly 50 years

And now 47 years of tinkering and maintaining a Triumph Renown have come to end after he sold his beloved vehicle that he has spent countless hours giving some TLC to.

The 73-year-old, who lives in Shipdham, near Dereham, became a mechanic at the age of 15, before going on to work for the AA in the 1970s.

The Triumph's original state. (Image: Forever Cars/Adrian Flux) As a professional mechanic, Mr Harris wanted to take on a personal project. Then he and his wife, Midge Harris, drove past a neglected car parked outside a butcher's shop.

Mr Harris said: "We went past it every day, but we had no idea what it was.

"It had no badges, it was going green and all you could see was the back end sticking out of this half-barn."

The car turned out to be an abandoned Triumph Renown, which Mr Harris then purchased from the butcher and made it his mission to bring it back to life, with Mrs Harris helping restore the damaged interior.

By the time work on the Triumph was finished, Mr Harris had been promoted to sergeant for the AA and had to move to Cornwall.

Mrs Harris remained in Worcester where they lived at the time to complete her nursing training.

Mick Harris driving the Triumph. (Image: Forever Cars/Adrian Flux) After they sold their house, Mrs Harris was tasked with taking the Triumph on its maiden voyage to Bodmin in Cornwall so the couple could reunite.

Mrs Harris said: "It was heavy, and I'd never driven a column gear change before.

"It broke down after about 40 miles and, ironically, I had to call the AA," she said.

Over the years, the car has become a beloved asset for the family and was even the choice of transport for their daughter on her wedding day.

The triumph has been a proud asset for the Harris family over the last few decades. (Image: Forever Cars/Adrian Flux) Although Mr Harris sold the car in September, the role it played in the Harris' family life will not be forgotten.

Mr Harris said: "She's been part of the family and at every stage of our lives, it has meant something. We look back and it reminds us of the things we did."