"I knew the member didn't have man flu"

Like most men, when I get a cold I automatically assume that I'm about to die at any minute - yeah I admit it, man flu right? One member I got called out to last winter definitely had the real McCoy.

He had managed to drag himself off his bed and get into his car to go and get some flu remedies at the local chemist. Unfortunately, on his way the car started to make some horrific noises. In fact, it was so bad that it made a small child burst into tears! Wisely, he decided that the best course of action was to leave the car parked at the side of the road and go home where he called the AA.

We arranged to meet him at his car and when I got there I knew straight away that he wasn't well at all. He looked worse than his car sounded. Whilst I couldn't do much for his condition, I diagnosed that the car was suffering from engine knock due to faulty spark plugs. Within a couple of minutes I had them changed and the poor guy was on his way home back to bed.

David Spratt, AA Patrol