A unique car is going under the auction hammer to raise money for Lancashire children’s hospice Derian House.

The 2003 Smart Car was painstakingly hand-painted by Preston-based Kingswood Homes’ managing director Paul Jones to replicate the iconic Little Tikes Classic Coupe toy car.

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The project was initially undertaken as a practical joke played on Kingswood’s site manager Liam Reilly who had recently bumped his brand new company car within days of taking delivery.

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Liam was given the life-size Little Tikes car to drive while his own car was in the garage for repairs.

Now that Liam’s car is back on the road, Paul has decided to auction the Smart Car with all funds going to Derian House.

Paul Jones, said: “We have had nearly half-a-million views since putting the photos of Liam’s replacement car on LinkedIn, with many saying they would love to own a car like that. Even the CEO of MGA Entertainment Isaac Larian, whose company own the Little Tikes brand, saw the funny side and shared it to his 30,000 followers.

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“Therefore, we’re going to put it up for auction with every penny going to support the amazing work of Derian House which provides respite and end-of-life care to more than 400 children and young people across the North West.

“Liam loved driving it so maybe another company might be tempted to make an offer as a bit of fun for their staff, knowing they’ll be supporting a great charity at the same time.”

The eye-catching red and yellow car will be given a 12-month MOT and comes complete with Little Tikes stickers and a pair of wide eyes on the bonnet.

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David Robinson, Chief Executive of Derian House Children’s Hospice, said: “The guys at Kingswood Homes are a great bunch and we’re over the moon that they have managed to turn this practical joke into something really positive to help the children and young people we look after at Derian House.

“We’re really grateful for their support and can’t wait to see how much it raises.”

The auction on the car runs until Sunday 14 March and bids on the car can be made on eBay here.

Proud Preston. This, and many stories like it, show how the people of Preston are making a difference. Our Proud Preston section showcases all the charitable, kind, uplifting and great things about our city and the people who live here. #ProudPreston is alive and well, and there’s much to celebrate and be proud of, despite the challenging times we all face.

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