Catch me if you can

Brakes played no great role in the cycling exploits of LAURIE LEE's mother. In his famous book, ‘Cider with Rosie’ he describes some of her alternative techniques:

Happy enough when the thing was in motion, it was stopping and starting that puzzled her. She had to be launched on her way by running parties of villagers; and to stop she rode into a hedge. With the Stroud Co-op Stores, where she wasa regular customer, she had come to a special arrangement. This depended for its success upon a quick ear and timing, and was a beautiful operation to watch. As she coasted downhill towards the shop's

main entrance she would let out one of her screams; an assistant, specially briefed, would tear through the shop, out the side door, and catch her in his arms. He has to be both young and nimble, for if he missed her she piled up by the police-station.

ISBN (paperback): 9780140278729

ISBN (audiobook): 9780563525677