A 100-year-old lorry in its military livery visited the Alton War Memorial on Crown Hill last Friday.

Two volunteers working with Nigel Spender, collections officer at Hampshire County Council Arts and Museums Service, have spent eight months restoring the lorry and it is to take part in exhibitions and events to mark the anniversary of the start of the First World War. The 'J' type is one of more than 5,000 lorries made by John I Thornycroft & Co in Basingstoke during the First World War and was delivered to the War Office in 1916 for use in France. It transported supplies such as shells, ammunition and food to the soldiers in the trenches.

Replacement engine parts had to be designed and machined as individual bespoke components. Spares were obtained from specialists: valves came from Surrey, the magneto was rebuilt in Sussex and new piston rings were obtained from New Zealand.