A FORMER World War I ambulance, thought to be the only one of its kind, has been restored by a South Cumbrian resident.

Ken Atkinson, who lives in Greenodd, has been working to get the Rhodia back on the road for a number of years.

A former instrument technician at GlaxoSmithKline, Ulverston, Mr Atkinson said that to begin with the ambulance was a bit of a mystery.

"I thought it was very nice," he said. "It's unique and nobody had ever heard of it. None of the historians or anything."

He obtained the Rhodia 25 years ago from near Strachur, in Scotland. The registration records in 1921 show that it was taxed as a six seater Hackney.

"Local knowledge suggests that it was previously a Great War ambulance car," Mr Atkinson said. "One of the two brothers Stobie who ran it as a taxi/bus had been involved in the Great War."

Originally built using parts from American car manufacturer Empire, it has a three speed gearbox and no front brakes.

Mr Atkinson has built the entire bodywork, rebuilt the wheels, engine and many other parts of the vehicle.

"We are still researching the true history of the vehicle," he said. "I still have work to do to finish the bus/ambulance but at least I have the pleasure of driving Rhodia."

Mr Atkinson, 69, said that he started tinkering with cars when he first started to drive at just 17.

"In them days it was because I couldn't afford a proper car," he said. "So I'd buy one for three quid and make it something I could go to work in."

He has worked on various mechanical projects, including planes and vintage Humbers. He has just started work on a Mini Cooper S - the same car he had when he was 22.

The Rhodia is now functioning and was put back on the road last year.

Since then it has visited the Steam Gathering in Cark and has twice gone to the Lakeland Motor Museum at Backbarrow.

"The original Great War ambulance drivers were usually volunteers. Many were women. Some were American even from the very first days of the Great War before America was involved," said Mr Atkinson. "In my eyes all the ambulance drivers were true heroes. Many died whilst trying to transport the wounded. Hopefully Rhodia can represent, in some small way, what these volunteers did 100 years ago."