A COWLEY factory worker inspired by 25 years of working with cars has written a children’s book telling the adventures of a troublesome rally car.

Bob Neale, 50, from Brookside, Abingdon, discovered his love for story-telling when he began reading his two children bedtime stories when they were young.

His book, Harry the Rally Car: The Beginning tells the adventures of Harry the car, about an overlooked and under-appreciated vehicle which has been given to a car rental agency.

But he is grubby and parked up behind the offices because he has broken parts.

The reader follows Harry as he is tickled by the brushes during his first car wash and finds out what happens when he goes down a large hill and discovers that his brakes do not work.

Eventually, Harry is fitted with a spoiler and becomes a rally car.

Mr Neale, father to Daniel, 25, and Christina, 21, who works as a re-worker at the Cowley plant, said: “When the children were young they used to get fed up of me reading books to them, so I used to make up my own stories and I used them as the characters.

“I wrote this story about 15 years ago and put it to one side, but last year I sent it to an American author and she edited it for me and told me what she thought of it.”

Mr Neale, married to Gill, 50, has signed a seven-year contract with publishers and has several ideas for his next book.

He said: “Working at Cowley probably has inspired me because, when I was on the line, I would sit and write notes for the story and if I got an idea I would write it down. Even now, characters from different cars come when I’m at work.

“Harry just popped into my head and when the film Cars came out my son said, ‘Dad, that’s your idea’.”

Then, one day Mr Neale happened across a website asking writers to send in their manuscripts.

He added: “The publisher took it on last August. Even at this time it’s still a surprise.”

Mr Neale recalls being good at English at school, but decided to join the Army after leaving.

Twenty-five years ago he joined the then Rover marque, working with his father, brother and brother-in-law.

He said: “It is nice to get a little break and seeing some of your work published.

“I’m really hoping people enjoy it – I don’t expect to be a millionaire!”

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk The book, published by Eloquent Books, is mainly aimed at the American market but is available online for £8.50 from amazon.co.uk