Every week we speak to a different reader of the South Bucks Star and ask about their motoring experience.

This week we stopped off in Flackwell Heath and spoke to community figure Ashley Hopkins, 65, who represents the Royal British Legion and Flackwell Heath Residents Association.

What model is it?

It’s an Elddis Autostratus RG, which stands for rear garage. It’s on a Peugeot body really, it’s a 2.9 turbo diesel engine and it’s a little bit upgraded.

How long have you had it?

Coming up to about three and a half years, we [Ashley and wife Janice] bought it second hand and it’s been fantastic.

It’s over ten years old and when I picked it up it had only done six and a half thousand miles. Someone had it and hadn’t really used it - it’s in pretty good condition.

Where do you go in the vehicle?

We use it for going round the United Kingdom but we also take it down to places like France and Spain too.

We took it to Spain over Christmas and New Year and have joined up in caravan and camping rallies abroad.

If you could go anywhere in the world in the motor home, where would you go?

We bought it with the intention of going out and seeing more of Europe.

When I was in the Royal Air Force I would be in Germany, for example, and we moved around quite a lot of Europe then.

But there was the Iron Curtain and you couldn’t go into countries like Czechoslovakia, Romania and Hungary, so I would like to take it there.

I would also like to take it to Italy for say two or three months and travel all around.

How does it drive?

Driving is a piece of cake. It’s fabulous no different from driving a car, just have to be aware you have a larger vehicle behind you.

Sadly, a lot of our roads aren’t really designed for these sorts of motor homes, but we get around.

Can you walk around in the vehicle when it’s on the move?

Yes, it’s not like a caravan where no-one’s allowed to be in it, but you can sit in the back of here when it’s moving.

Would you consider living in it permanently?

It probably wouldn’t be for us. I know people sell up their houses and live in ones larger than this.

We see lots of people down in Spain having sold their house living the life of Riley.

It’s nice for breaks. It’s just like a hotel on wheels, and these days you can find lots of pubs to stop off at and stay in their car parks.

If you could travel with a celebrity, who would it be?

I go with my wife mostly, but I think I would take [Jeremy] Clarkson.

He doesn’t like motor homes or caravans either, so perhaps I could initiate him into the world of motor homing. It would be interesting with the language inside there.

  • Do you want to feature in our ‘Me and My Motor’ section? Get in touch by emailing andrew.colley@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 07824 530126.