Why a mini Postman Pat van has been riding around Heckmondwike

Residents in a West Yorkshire town might have been surprised to see a mini red van driving around, during the weekend.

Dozens of videos and photos have been circulating around social media of the red Royal Mail van which was spotted around Heckmondwike including the Morrisons, the McDonald’s drive-thru and at Marsh Pub in Cleckheaton.

Speaking to YorkshireLive , Alton Tyrell, 40, who took the town by surprise, said he did it to make people smile.

The father of two said: “My wife laughed but my children think I’m crazy.

“I did it to make people laugh because I’m a bit of a joker.”

Alton, owner of AT Transport, purchased a Postman Pat Coin machine from eBay in May for his father in law instead of purchasing a mobility scooter for “a lot of money.”

Along with a few friends, Alton, the father of two took on the project to restore the machine including woodwork, welding, painting and welding the wheels in order to convert it into a mobility electric scooter. which can go up to five miles when it’s fully charged.

In total, the overall project cost him £1,000.

He added: “It’s a bit overwhelming when you go around and people stop you. You feel like a celebrity.

“People kept stopping and driving back to record me driving by. They were having to do a double-take, it’s not something you see every day is it?

“Its been a great little project and it has kept family and neighbours entertained.

“I got in Morrisons and no one said anything and I was in there for half an hour. I saw the police as well and they didn’t say anything. It’s only a mobility scooter.

“A girl from McDonald’s must’ve filmed me when I was at the drive-thru and it had almost 15,000 views.”