The Great Escape

Everyone must know some version of this story as it is the stuff of legend.

One evening after drinking in Campden, Graham set off for home in Condicote in his Austin Maxi with Stuart McTavish in the back seat, as the front passenger seat was missing.

The story has been embellished over the years but in essence, Graham drove up behind a police car on either the 5 mile drive or the Stow Road from Troopers Lodge, and, panicking because he was over the limit, decided the best thing to do was to overtake the police car at speed and accelerate away. The police car inevitably gave chase and they both careered down the tiny country lanes towards Condicote at considerable speed. When they reached the Pound in Condicote, Graham turned towards Hinchwick and drove up a farm track, where he and Stuart disembarked and hid in a barn. It was at this point that Stuart was concerned about his future career as a respected teacher at Campden School - a little late in the day.

After a while they had heard nothing outside and thought they had shaken off the police, but on opening the barn door, they were in the full glare of police car headlights. They were promptly put into separate cars and taken to Cheltenham Police Station. On processing Graham the police asked him to turn out his pockets, which consisted of a split bag of peanuts and some loose change. I'm not sure what happened to Stuart, whether he actually went to Cheltenham or whether he was taken back to Condicote.

In the end, Graham was not charged because he had been apprehended on private property...... or so he said!!