Care home surprise retired racing driver resident with whirl in new Aston Martin

John Morrell said he relived ‘happy memories’ when surprised by the team at Weald Heights in Sevenoaks, Kent.

John Morrell said the experience brought back ‘happy memories’ of his time as a racing driver (Care UK/PA)

A 92-year-old care home resident relived “happy memories” of his time as a racing driver after he was surprised with a trip around his local town in the latest Aston Martin.

The team at Care UK’s Weald Heights in Sevenoaks, Kent, gave John Morrell a day to remember as he found himself back behind the wheel of a sports car.

Mr Morrell, who lived in Singapore when he was younger, pursued his dream after being inspired by the country’s passion for motorsports and participated in racing tournaments, driving an Austin-Healey 100 and the Jaguar XK150.

“I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon,” Mr Morrell said.

“It was a wonderful surprise and brought back so many happy memories from my racing days.”

After sharing stories about his time as a racing driver in the 1950s, he was taken for a whirl around the town as well as to Aston Martin Sevenoaks by a member of the dealership’s team to learn more about the history of the brand.

The home manager at Weald Heights said she was “delighted” to recreate the racing magic for Mr Morrell.

“We were delighted to create a memorable afternoon for John, which fulfilled his passion for motoring while providing an opportunity to reminisce on his time spent as a racing driver,” Maria Covington said.

“At Weald Heights, we regularly create thoughtful activities and events that promote positive wellbeing among the residents.

“The whole team look forward to learning more about the wonderful experiences the residents have enjoyed throughout their lives and creating imaginative activities that build on their talents.

“It was wonderful to see the smile on John’s face as he was chauffeured around Sevenoaks in true James Bond style.

“Step aside Daniel Craig, I think we may have found the next 007!”