Diehard scooter fans take style up a gear

Parka jackets, Paul Weller copy-cat haircuts and desert boots amidst a fog of petrol fumes.

Around 150 Vespas and Lambrettas gathered at Molineux last weekend as a part of one of the many rides scooter groups across the Black Country and Staffordshire take part in.

As much as it is celebration of their motors, it is an exhibit of their culture and their fashion.

A culture of Mods to the backdrop of music from The Specials, The Jam. The Beat and Madness and last Saturday it was out in all in glory.

"It's a gathering of like-minded people who appreciate the scooters, the music and the fashion," said David Thompson, from Westcroft near Wolverhampton.

" It's a nice chilled out collection of people. We were all together in the 1980s and some go back to the 1960s.

"They had their scooters when they were in their late teens and 20s, then they got married, had kids and now the kids have grown up they're now re-living their youth by getting back into the scooter scene."

Mr Thompson, a 47-year-old project director who is part of East Park Scooter Club added: "There's probably more scooters on the roads now than ever before. Some of the rallies are attracting 20,000 scooters, that's a lot of Mods."

Saturday's ride was part of East Park Scooter Club's annual fun day which is supported by a number of scooter clubs across the Black Country and Staffordshire.

While the film made famous by Phil Daniels rode from London to Brighton this trek was somewhat smaller heading from the home of Wolves through the city centre and to the Victoria Pub on Deans Road.

There were stalls selling the latest Lambretta fashion wear, Paul Weller tribute acts, charity raffles and vintage clothing stalls.

The fun day is in its fifth year and all money raised went to the Help for Heroes charity.

One of those at the fundraiser was Steve Clifford, 49, and part of Black Country Scooter Club.

He said: "Groups meet up regularly and they go out on more local rides but the main one is the Isle of Wight which gets around 20,000 from scooter clubs all across Europe.

"I had my first scooter 15 years ago, I suppose I was re-living my youth. The appeal is the culture, the music and the fashion. The music is important I host a ska night called Skybolt Revival a couple of times a year and that is sold-out from people from scooter clubs from around here."

Some bikes displayed Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Last Supper' and Paul Newman in 'The Hustler' and of course the red, white and blue target stickers and a plethora of wing mirrors and lights.

One of those is Dave Jeavons, AKA 'Waggy', from Pelsall, Walsall. He is part of Amery Scooter Club based in Willenhall.

His Lambretta GP consists of eight mirror and 20 lights.

"I like the fact that my scooter is mine," said Waggy.

"No-one has one like mine, no-one has the same lights or horn. I love buying stuff for it, I'm always on Ebay getting parts for my scooter. They can be expensive I spend my money on that now-a-days rather than wine and women.

"It's just a great scene to be part of and you can go to some rallies and see people from all over the country who haven't seen for a good while.

"I had my first scooter in 1969, I had it for three years and sold it and got a car. I've had my Lambretta for six years and you can't beat going out on it. It's a big part of my life."