A scene from Father Ted has inspired folk singer Paul Thompson to swap his tour bus for a converted electric milk float on his upcoming tour.
The 44-year-old will travel almost 2,000 miles in the former delivery vehicle, but the sound of clinking milk bottles will be swapped for Mr Thompson's blend of 'uplifting folk pop'.
Performing gigs along the way at festivals, parties and concerts, Mr Thompson is hoping to travel as far as Hadrian's Wall, Outer Hebrides and finishing with a string of shows at next year's Edinburgh Festival.
'I was trying to think of an original idea,' said the singer whose home town is Sheringham but now lives in Baconsthorpe. 'There's a really funny episode of Father Ted with a milk float in, and I just started wondering how far you could travel in one.'
The milk float will move at a top speed of 15 mph, travelling 30 to 50 miles each day and setting off in June, before finishing 12 weeks later.
And to raise money for the conversion of the electric float into a stage and tour bus with sleeping accommodation, Mr Thompson is collecting sponsorship in return for advertising space on the float.
Fans will also get the chance to travel on the tour bus for a day, have a meal cooked on board or book Mr Thompson for a house concert.
He said: 'I will have to get help from other people and so I want to get people actively involved in the tour.'
Mr Thompson is hoping to re-charge the float at stop points along the way, and will be updating his website with snippets from his journey. The first gig will be at the Green Britain Centre in Swaffham, before he begins the long journey up north towards the River Humber and York.
He plans to perform a midsummer's eve concert at Hadrian's Wall before reaching the Isle of Arran.
Then it will be off to Skye, before winding through the highlands towards Edinburgh. The tour is tied in with the launch of his third album, Lost in the Land of Midnight Sun. Mr Thompson has been writing songs for 20 years, but began his career 10 years ago after a creative writing degree.
He is also the founder of Travelling Studio, a mobile music recording service working with bands, schools and choirs around Norfolk. He has toured professionally as a singer-songwriter in Europe, New Zealand, the US and Canada, and is planning on writing a book about his UK tour by milk float.
Following the tour, the milk float will be used as a mobile arts venue, recording and workshop space to bring music to rural parts of Norfolk.
For a video of Mr Thompson visit www.northnorfolknews.co.uk
Further information about the tour and crowdfunding campaign can be found www.paulsmusic.co.uk.
Are you planning an unusual event? Email sabah.meddings@archant.co.uk
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