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Southport's Schumacher - speed king Basil Davenport

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Southport - sands of time

In the 1920's Southport was the most important place in Britain for motor racing.

There were no tracks or roads at the time, so people used the beaches - and Southport became a hot spot for the racing fraternity.

Thrills, spills, speed and incredible danger were the heady cocktail of ingredients that brought huge crowds to Southport beach to watch the races.

Racetracks offering road conditions in Britain only became popular in the 1930's, so Southport reigned supreme.

Wealthy, daring young men, took up the challenge to push the barriers of speed to the limit.

Each week new records would be set.

Some paid for it with their lives, other claimed the glory in exciting races across the sands.

Speed king

One of the top drivers was the Michael Schumacher of his day - Basil Hope Davenport.

He was born in 1903 and came from a wealthy Macclesfield mill owning family.

Basil won so many races, it's said that he had engine oil in his veins.

But he was very different from the drivers of today - he was an amateur who built his own car, with the help of his three brothers.

They called the car The Spider - and it became a name feared throughout the racing world.

Basil's longest race was The Hundred Mile Race held at Southport in 1930.

One hundred thousand people turned up to watch - an incredible number - and the winner was Davenport.

Children of speed

Inside Out met up with Basil Hope Davenport's children, Peter and Ann, who live near Wilmslow.

Peter and Ann Davenport reunited with The Spider

Visit the Southport speed photo gallery

Amazingly they'd never been to Southport so Inside Out decided to
take them back in time.

We also made our own bit of history by scouring the country to bring back the cars that last raced at Southport 80 years ago.

We also tracked down two of the original machines that Davenport raced in, which were lost to the family after Basil died in 1979.

We were able to take the silver Spider in all its glory and another Davenport car - the BHD - to Southport to relive their glory days.

Life of speed

Basil Davenport spent his lifetime in love with speed.

When beach racing faded after the Second World War, he took up hill climbs, breaking records wherever he competed.

He was still racing well into his 70s.

But thanks to Ann and Peter his legacy lives on in Southport's sands of time.

Links relating to this story:

• BBC Inside Out - Southport photo gallery
• Liverpool Motor Club
• Historic Motor Racing

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Lottery millionaire

Go behind the scenes at the National Lottery

Inside Out meets the man who makes dreams come true.

Based at Camelot's regional centre in Liverpool, Adrian Mann is usually the first person you meet after you've hit the jackpot.

Adrian's job is to go through a few formalities - like checking you ARE who you say you are…

And that you haven't lost the ticket - people have been known to stuff them down bras, hide them in the dictionary under 'Lottery' or even in the dog basket!

Within half an hour, he chauffeurs the winners to Liverpool and organises your cheque.

At the Camelot centre in Aintree, Sam Williams-Green is on hand to process the claim… and then it's the big moment - when your ticket goes through the machine and your winning amount is confirmed.

Over the years Adrian has seen some pretty emotional scenes in the winners' lounge.

Some winners are never off the phone asking Adrian's advice.

In his time, he's seen the lucky winners buy the oddest things including a Gothic folly, a mini road sweeper, and even a water buffalo!

Adrian also likes to bring Lottery winners together so that new millionaires can get advice from those who've had a bit of time to come to terms with their success.

His Lotto fairy-godfather is always on hand to lend a shoulder.

Links relating to this story:

• BBC - National Lottery
• National Lottery
• Lottery - Good Causes
• Big Lottery Fund
• National Lottery Commission
• Camelot

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites

Peter's story

Peter Jones has Motor Neurone Disease

Most of us take life for granted, but what would you do if you discovered you had an incurable disease?

Peter Jones from Warrington has Motor Neurone Disease and he's decided to end his own life - before the disease kills him.

To do that, he will have to travel to Switzerland, because the law prevents him from doing so in the UK.

The disease is incurable and progressive, destroying muscles and blocking signals from the brain instructing muscles to work.

Peter who lives in Birchwood, Warrington with his wife, April, has decided to end his life before the final stages of Motor Neurone Disease prevent him from doing so.

He agrees that it's a decision that other Motor Neurone Disease sufferers might not want to take, but it's one he feels he has to.

The right time?

Peter says he now wants to end his life when he feels that the time is right.

So he's joined Dignitas, an organisation which helps people to kill themselves.

It's based in this apartment block in Zurich in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal.

There's been several attempts to bring in new legislation in this country, which would mean people like Peter would be able to end their lives without breaking the law.

A decision to vote on a new Assisted Dying Bill has recently been deferred in the House of Lords again.

Many opponents of the bill claim it's wrong to give doctors the powers to end life by allowing them to prescribe lethal drugs.

Others say it's wrong for anyone to take their own life no matter what their condition.

Final trip

Between them Peter and April have five children, and it was telling them of his plans that has been the the hardest part.

Final journey - Peter Jones plans to travel to Switzerland

For April, going with Peter on his final trip to Dignitas will not just be heartbreaking - there's also difficult consequences to face on her return.

She could be arrested for accompanying Peter, which would be seen as assisting in his suicide - a crime that carries a maximum jail sentence of 14 years.

Daughter-in-law Sarah Heyes says:

"Going to the airport and watching him get on a plane and knowing that this is goodbye it… will be so hard."

Information on Motor Neurone Disease

The MND Helpline is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and 7pm to 10.30pm - the number is 08457 626262.

Links relating to this story:

• BBC Health - Motor Neurone Disease
• BBC Inside Out - Motor Neurone Disease
• Motor Neurone Disease Association
• Patient UK

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites