Andy puts himself in the driving seat with new venture

A Horsley man has used his passion for vintage cars as the driving force for a new business.

Andy Baston, 56, has been a car enthusiast throughout his life and as a young boy in the 1950s he used to admire the Riley cars from over the wall of Walton Hall, based nearby to his childhood home in Chesterfield.

Now, following a ten-year labour of love Andy has finally put a 1948 Riley RMA back on the road - and in doing so has launched his own chauffeur-driven, vintage car company ‘Life of Riley’.

Andy said: “I started my actual career in catering and have been a full-time head chef for most of my working life, but after taking time and patience to restore the Riley, I realised I wanted others to share in the wonderful experience that driving this unique form of transport can bring.

“As a result the premise of Life of Riley was born - a small, reliable, family run business, which allows me to offer affordable, chauffeur-driven services to people on their special days and memorable occasions. Cars have been my life-time passion and I feel very lucky to now have the opportunity to run Life of Riley, very much combining work with pleasure.”

Andy will be donating ten percent of all profits to the Nightingale Macmillan Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital. Angie Betts, a community palliative care nurse specialist said: “This is a wonderful example of an innovative and creative way to raise money. The funds raised will go towards equipment in the centre to help ensure comfort for patients, and ongoing education about care for cancer.”