by Megan Henderson

Giant hogweed is spreading through the UK and can cause serious burns and blisters

The parents of a seven-year-old boy left permanently scarred for life after coming into contact with giant hogweed during a caravan holiday have taken their battle to seek damages to court.

The unnamed child was left with painful burns on his upper body, arms and feet a chest as a result of coming into contact with the toxic weed which is currently growing in epic proportions across the nation.

The incident, which took place several years ago, occurred after the child played amongst several wild giant hogweed plants which were growing in the caravan park by a pond, in complete oblivion to the danger the wild plants can present.

Two days later he woke up with severe blisters and, as his blisters became more severe, his mother took him to the GP, who thought the boy had been in contact with a dangerous chemical substance.

The National Chemical Emergency Center was contacted, and the boy was subsequently diagnosed with giant hogweed burn. the local council determined that the holiday park was infected with giant hogweed and had the plant was removed.

Sarah Cunliffe, the family’s solicitor from Access Legal, said: “It is an offence to plant or cause hogweed to grow, in the wild, and it’s possible to claim for your injury if it is found that the land owner or local authority has failed to take appropriate action to protect you.”

According to Cunliffe there has been a rise in cases related to hogweed in recent years, but parents must also be aware how dangerous hogweed is to themselves and their children.

Enabling giant hogweed to grow became an offence in the UK in 1981 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Giant hogweed can grow up to six metres tall with leaves up to one and a half metres wide. The plant can also be mistaken for cow parsley as the two are closely related.

Giant Hogweed can grow nearly anywhere, but most often grows along rivers or canals. The plant usually starts popping up in the summer months throughout the UK.

The toxic chemicals the plant contains can cause burns and blistering through toxins contained within the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and seeds. The burns can last for months and there have been some reports that the affected area of skin can still be sensitive to sunlight for years after contact.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), local authorities do have power to require that giant hogweed be removed under some circumstances.

The RHS warns that anyone removing Giant Hogweed should wear gloves, a face mask, and be sure to cover arms and legs. The tools and clothing used when removing Hogweed could also be dangerous to touch. Anyone who comes into bodily contact with hogweed should wash the area in question immediately.

The growth of giant hogweed continues to sweep across the UK. In an area around the lower Findhorn River in north-east Scotland, the wild plant has grown so extensively a drone had to be flown to photograph just how much had to be removed. The Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Fisheries Trust used this method in an attempt to protect river users and plant species, as giant hogweed often overruns the local plant life.

Trust director Robert Laughton said: “It is a big problem plant and a very dominant species which will choke out more native plants from the river. Only slow progress has been made in clearing the invader but the drone survey had revealed its true scale.”

For more information on Giant Hogweed, click here.

by Megan Henderson

Many drivers do not do a basic check of their vehicle before hitting the road, and are not sure what to look for under the bonnet, according to motoring organisation

With many motorists ready to take their summer holidays – none other so than us caravanners with our trusty caravans in tow – it is important to stay safe while driving. But, according to the AA, many of us fail to perform adequate checks before setting off – or, for that matter, know even how to check under our bonnets.

The news comes as the AA has revealed that, when asked about basic under bonnet maintenance checks, 13 per cent of drivers said they ‘haven’t got a clue’ about what to do. This rises to a third (30 per cent) of women.
Max Holdstock, newly-crowned AA Patrol Person of the Year said: “If you plan to make long trips this summer and you don’t know what to do, most garages will provide such checks very cheaply or even free of charge. A broken-down car is not a good start to what should be a happy weekend break or holiday.”
Furthermore, 68 per cent of those polled do not think about increasing tyre pressure as recommended when packing vehicles out with luggage of family members.

According to the motoring organisation, tyre problems and overheating engines are some of the most common reasons that holidays can be disrupted. Fortunately, they are easy to avoid with regular maintenance, and checking the car before heading off on that long waiting holiday.

The majority of travellers surveyed remember to top up their fuel before heading off at 89 per cent, but 21 per cent do not check their tyre pressure, and 67 per cent do not even visually check their tyres to see tread depth or signs of cuts or bulges.

“Drivers load up their cars up with family, luggage and holiday paraphernalia – and then expect them to undertake a long trouble-free journey but don’t bother to make sure the car is properly prepared for the extra strain,” Holdstock continued.

Travellers can check their car handbooks, small information panels in the fuel cap cover, or the driver’s door shut to gain more information on their vehicle’s optimum tyre pressure.

Whilst tyres are important, motorists should also remember that overheating is quite common for cars, but can be avoided with regular maintenance. Overheating is often caused by low coolant or a faulty cooling fan. Over half of motorists do not check their cooling system levels and do not top up their anti-freeze.

Holdstock went on to address other concerns when setting off on a long journey.

“Our study also found that a third (32 per cent) don’t check their engine’s oil level either. Dangerously low oil can lead to serious and expensive engine damage”

“If you plan to make long trips this summer and you don’t know what to do, most garages will provide such checks very cheaply or even free of charge. A broken-down car is not a good start to what should be a happy weekend break or holiday,” Holdstock recommended.

The AA has provided a quick little trick for holiday goers; just remember the word FLOWER. FLOWER stands for: Fuel, Lights, Oil, Water, Electrics, Rubber.

We here at CaravanTimes wish all of you safe travels, but always remember regular maintenance is the best way to avoid roadside complications.

Do you check your vehicle before setting off on your holidays?

by Ellie Pritchard

Video footage of a motorhome wheelie could inspire you to change the way you travel – but we sincerely hope not!

Do you ever get bored of the same mundane drive to your favourite caravan site? Are you looking for a more creative way to travel? Well, watch and learn, because CaravanTimes has the perfect solution.

The following video footage of a stuntman switching up conventional means of motorhome travel by driving on two wheels has us watching on in awe, although we certainly wouldn’t want to try it for fear of writing off our very own pride and joy.

The daredevil is evidently no stranger to performing extreme wheelies involving a variety of vehicles, but his motorhome stunt is perhaps the most dangerous yet.

Amazingly, when it lands back on all fours, the motorhome seems to be in perfect working condition.

Watch the footage below, but we warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart.

by David Bates

Clarkson Hammond May set for on-screen return

Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed that he, Richard Hammond and James May will be making another motoring program.

During a ‘Clarkson, Hammond and May’ live show in Perth, Australia – rebranded from ‘Top Gear Live’ for legal reasons following Clarkson’s dismissal from the BBC in March – the Doncaster man took to the stage to tell the audience that “there will be a car show on the internet or in your house”, going as far as to present a tongue-in-cheek blooper reel of their new production, in which Clarkson mispronounces “Porsche 911”.

The trio’s particular brand of humour looked mockingly back at the fall-out from Top Gear, with Clarkson joking that he was “too shy” for television and James May suggesting he would be better suited to life as a “producer” or a “diplomat”.

The sold-out 14,000-capacity audience witnessed an array of vehicular treats, including motorbike polo and car rugby, whilst the original Top Gear trio represented Team England against hosts of the Australian equivalent Shane Jacobson, Steve Pizzati, and Riana Crehan, in a series of challenges dubbed the ‘Cr-Ashes’.

The British team referenced the legal restrictions which have continued to hamper them since March, which forbid their involvement in a motor-based television program in the UK for the next two years, when joking that “for legal reasons, nothing we have ever done together has ever happened…our lawyers tell us that, for legal reasons, we have never met”.

Exploding caravans may be a thing of the past in Britain (for now), however motorhome users in America may not rest so easy; Clarkson and his sidekicks are expected to head across the pond to circumvent legal regulations, with Amazon and Netflix thought to be involved in bidding for the new show.