YOUR RIOT TRUCK IS JUST SMASHING

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jun 22, 2003 | by ANDY GARDNER

THE BBC's Top Gear show has done it again... this time by testing the strength of an Army riot truck by driving it into a Portakabin.

Viewers will tonight see the Talon riot control vehicle driven into the building at 30mph.

The truck, with grenade launchers, gun ports and chemical protection, is owned by a businessman who bought it to use as a "mobile panic room", but has now put it up for sale.

A spokesman for the owner said: "Top Gear heard about it and asked to borrow it. It is a very macho vehicle and extremely strong, so they decided to put it up against a building...and the Portakabin came off worse. The vehicle is a beast and did its job well."

The pounds 300,000, 17-tonne truck is now having repairs done for a buckled barricade remover, scratched paintwork and wrecked side mirrors. The Portakabin was wrecked.

Last week it emerged that a vintage C-Type Jaguar, which won the 1953 Le Mans, was left with clutch and tyre damage after a test drive for the show. Owner Adrian Hamilton said: "I am expecting the BBC to pay for repairs."