A TANKER transformed into a luxury motor home by a North Yorkshire man was the star attraction at the Vintage Working Weekend at Hornby Castle near Bedale.

Doug Hodgson, 59, from Stillington, near Easingwold, spent six months converting the flour tanker into plush living accommodation complete with carpets, a fitted kitchen, a power shower and television.

The vehicle spent the first 27 years of its life transporting flour from a mill in Stockport before it was snapped up by Doug, a former lorry driver turned car dealer.

After years of having to pay for accommodation when taking his other vintage vehicle - a restored recovery truck - to rallies, he came up with the idea of building his own accommodation.

The project was a difficult job, which included cleaning the 27-years-worth of flour from the inside.

He also wanted natural light inside and had to cut the centres out of the old loading hatches and replace them with glass domes from old washing machines found in tips.

Now, despite having two million miles on the clock, it takes Doug and his wife Glynis all over the country to shows.

And he still has more developments planned for his luxury home.

"We have a heating system on board but my wife says the nights are getting chilly and it needs central heating - so I'm on the lookout for something," he said.

Updated: 11:58 Tuesday, September 24, 2002