Is Rhylie, 5, from Alford the UK's 'youngest lorry driver'?

Press and Journal

2 days ago

Nothing makes Rhylie Gray happier than when he's cruising around in his wee lorry with the George Ezra song 'Green Green Grass' blaring through the speakers.
With his very own 'driver's licence' and an aptitude for reverse parking, five-year-old Rhylie may just be the youngest lorry driver in the country.
Well, at least for mini-lorries.
'I love lorries because they're really big,' says Rhylie, who attends Alford Primary School.
'It feels good when I'm driving my lorry and I like going fast.
'I want to be a lorry driver when I grow up.'
Little Rhylie's big passion for lorries came from his beloved grandad Alan Gray who has been a lorry driver with Harbro in Turriff for the past 10 years.
And to see his grandson follow in his footsteps makes Alan's heart sing.
'Since Rhylie has been born he has been around my lorry so he's taken an interest in Harbro and in lorries,' says Alan, 61, who lives in Inverurie.
'We took him to Truckfest in Edinburgh one year and he got a shot of a wee lorry.
'He loved it so I bought him a wee lorry and a trailer.
'Rhylie wanted the lorry to be the same as mine so we got the Harbro writing on it and my son's friend did the wiring so it's got lights and runs on a battery.'
Alan is now in the process of making Rhylie a curtain side trailer.
'Rhylie certainly looks after his lorry,' says Alan.
'He respects his lorry as he cleans it the same way I would clean my lorry.
'He's very protective of his lorry and he's wary about letting anyone use it.'
Rhylie's dad Michael Gray, who lives in Aberdeen with his partner Melanie Lloyd, is thrilled that his son has an interest in lorries.
'He absolutely loves lorries,' says Michael.
'Every time he goes to grandad's house he just wants to go in his lorry or see grandad's lorry.
'He always goes on about Harbro which is the firm my dad works for so my dad spoke to the guy who does all the sign writing for the lorries at Harbro and he got Harbro written on the side of his lorry.'
As well as having the technical skills of a lorry driver, Michael says Rhylie, who displayed his lorry at the Grampian Truck Show recently, also has the personality too.
'He is incredible and he's absolutely hilarious – I wouldn't change him for the world,' says Michael.
Equally as proud of Rhylie is his mum Beth Jolly who lives in Alford.
'Rhylie loves his lorry and Harbro,' says Beth.
'Everywhere we go he tells people about his lorry, he's so proud of it.
'It's great for a young boy of his age to be so enthusiastic and passionate about the lorry and about his trailer.
'It's a good thing for the lorry industry.'
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