I still can't quite believe this actually happened to me. If someone had told me this story a week ago, I'd probably have laughed and said, "Yeah, alright mate. Pull the other one." But now I've got a photo I'll probably be showing my kids and grandkids for years. My name's Mark, I'm 38 and I live in Hertfordshire. I deliver beer kegs to pubs for a living. Every morning I'm up around 5am, loading 12 heavy kegs into my old van and heading out on the A1 while most people are still fast asleep. The van's 12 years old now, and lately it's been absolutely rinsing us. I've spent about £1,500 on repairs in the last six months alone. I've got two kids and my wife's a nurse. We've never had loads of money, but we've always managed. Every time another £200 or £300 disappears on the van, though, I can't help thinking that money could've gone towards the kids' school uniforms, the food shop, or just making life that little bit easier. Anyway, last Thursday happened. And I don't think I'll ever forget it. I'd finished dropping kegs off at three pubs in London and was heading home at around 10pm on the A1(M). Then suddenly I felt a proper jolt through the steering wheel. A few seconds later, thick white steam started pouring out from under the bonnet, followed by this horrible hissing noise. Radiator. I managed to get onto the hard shoulder and switched the engine off. Opened the bonnet and there was steam everywhere. The smell of coolant. Hardly another soul around. I checked the sat nav. About 40 miles from home. My phone was on 10%. I had £100 in my wallet. I rang my wife. "Call recovery," she said. Problem was, I knew it was going to cost somewhere around £300. I simply didn't have £300. So there I was, standing next to a broken-down van on the side of the A1, trying to work out what on earth I was going to do. About 15 minutes later, I noticed a pair of headlights behind me. This massive black SUV started slowing down and pulled in behind my van
