Meet Bradford’s very own Mr Bean who is still racing around forest tracks at the grand old age of 73.

But Bob Bean, the oldest competitor in the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire which started today, does not race in his namesake’s trademark British Leyland Mini 1000.

Instead Mr Bean senior, nothing like the hapless television character of the same name, races around the track in his 45-year-old Lotus Cortina.

The property renovator, who lives in Cleckheaton, plans to prove that age is temporary while class is permanent by putting his foot down at the event that started at West Pier in Scarborough.

Bob Bean first drove a rally car more than half a century ago when contesting the 1960 Yorkshire Rally in a Hillman Minx.

The car he is driving this year is similar to the one he steered to third place in the fog-bound 1968 RAC Rally.

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