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Northampton Saints 'punishment' Reliant Rialto salvaged

Graham McKechnie/BBC The Reliant Rialto loaded onto the back of a recovery vehicle, with damage to its rear endGraham McKechnie/BBC
It was salvaged after being rediscovered at Harlestone Firs, near Northampton

A dilapidated Reliant Rialto that Northampton Saints rugby players used to drive as "punishment" has been salvaged after it was rediscovered.

The three-wheeler was found in Harlestone Firs, near Northampton, and used to belong to the Premiership club.

Player Ben Cohen once had to drive it for a week. Lennie Newman, ex-player and manager turned commentator, said he hoped to renovate the vehicle.

Lennie Newman, ex-player and manager, said he hopes to renovate the vehicle.

"It's in a poor old state but it's a challenge - and I love a challenge," said Mr Newman, who now commentates on the Saints for BBC Radio Northampton.

Graham McKechnie/BBC The Reliant Rialto loaded onto the back of a recovery vehicleGraham McKechnie/BBC
There are hopes of selling the car for charity if it can be restored
Jon Sleightholme, a former rugby player, photographed sat in the car
Jon Sleightholme, a former Saints player, was happy to pose for a photo in the car in about 2002

Mr Newman said the car was first acquired by the club in the 2002-03 season, from a garage in Thrapston, Northamptonshire.

"We did a deal, in which they restored it for us, painted it and we used it, with the intention of selling it for charity.

"We used it for probably 12 months as a joke.

"If a player messed up in training, or was late, or they did something stupid, they would have it for a week as a bit of punishment."

A Reliant Rialto in 2023 in bad condition
The car was signed by all the players and had the Saint motif, playing rugby, painted on it

He told how Mr Cohen turned up one day after the club car park had been resurfaced. He started doing donuts in his own vehicle, Mr Newman said.

"That was enough for him to get the three-wheeler for a week, but he liked it so much he kept it for another week, he even put his name on the visor."

At the end of the season it was auctioned raising £4,500 for charity.

It was sold to a local businessman, the BBC Radio Northampton commentator said.

The car was put "in pride of place" for several years, but when the company went out of business, it was moved and was vandalised, he added.

"It's in a rare old state, but it's salvageable, it looks worse than it is," said Mr Newman.

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