A CAR owner showed off his pride and joy at one of the region's leading attractions yesterday.

Tony Oliver and his three-wheeler sports car led a convoy of Morgan sports cars that roared into the car park of the Beamish Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, to launch the Morgan Sports Car Club meeting this weekend.

Mr Oliver's Morgan MX2, built in May 1933, has two front wheels and only one at the back and is powered by a 1,000cc, air-cooled, V-twin engine.

Mr Oliver, of Trimdon, near Sedgefield, said: "Driving it is completely different to a normal car - it is like learning to drive all over again. The gears are all in a totally different place to a normal gearbox - second gear is where first gear should be and first gear is where fifth gear would be.

"You have to take your time when going up or down the gears, but you have to bear in mind that she is 70 this month."

Mr Oliver will be showing off the MX2 and his four-wheeler Morgan +8 at the club meeting on the Beamish Museum events field on Sunday. Up to 50 Morgans from across the North-East will be at the meet.

For details, contact the museum on 0191-370 4000.