Racing driver Mansell returning home to Upton (From Malvern Gazette)

Racing driver Mansell returning home to Upton

11:10am Wednesday 21st July 2010 in News

UPTON residents are being urged to turn out in force to welcome home-town hero Nigel Mansell as he passes through the town on a gruelling 1,200-mile charity cycle ride.

The former Formula One world champion, who was born in Upton, is leading the Nigel Mansell UK Youth Cycle Challenge, which started in London on Thursday (July 22) and will see his peloton travel 1,200 miles around Britain in just 13 days, finishing back in the capital on Tuesday, August 3.

He is expected to arrive in Upton at about 1.30pm on Saturday (July 24) and will be stopping at Memorial Hall where he will be greeted by Upton’s mayor Andrea Morgan.

Mr Mansell, who is being accompanied by his sons Leo and Greg and former Tour de France racer Magnus Backstedt, is taking on the challenge to promote UK Youth’s ‘Positive About Youth’ campaign.

He explained: “This is UK Youth’s centenary year and I wanted to do something really exacting to mark it. We are one of the largest youth charities in the UK and every day we challenge young people to do all sorts of new and exciting things in order to raise their aspirations and realise their potential.

“I wanted to do something demanding as well and in doing so encourage everyone to be more supportive of young people at a time when they are suffering more than most in the recession.”

He added that he is particularly looking forward to this part of the challenge.

“It is going to be an interesting day for me and a great honour to ride through my home county,” he said.

Mr Mansell will also be calling in at Welland Steam Rally on Saturday at about 2.30pm.

Organiser Alan Probert said: “It will be really great to see him and we hope the team will be able to drive one of our engines. I’m really interested to see what he thinks of them as they are so different to anything else he has ever driven before.”