A LAMERTON family's pride and joy made its maiden voyage — at a stately four miles an hour — from Lamerton to the Tavistock Steam and Vintage Fair today, Sunday.

Matt Young, who restores vintage tractors for a living, said this was the first outing for the 1917 agricultural engine which he has restored in his spare time.

He was at the fair with sons Ruben, seven, and Jack, eight, who were wearing overalls and showed off their coal dusted hands. The engine turns burns coal to turn water into steam, hot work on a day like today.

'This is our maiden voyage,' said Matt. 'It is a 1917 five horse power agricultural engine and it has spent its working life with three others in Southern Ireland. Its sister engines are still in Ireland. It came over in 2010 and we bought it. This is the first time I have brought it out on the road. I've come with the family to support the rally.'

The Robey Trust Steam and Vintage fair has brought together steam engines, tractors, vintage cars, models and sideshows in Bedford car park, Tavistock. It runs until 5pm this afternoon. A number of engines restored by The Robey Trust of Tavistock were steaming in the heat, giving visitors tours of the town in trailers pulled by the engines.