Get aht my car! The Sunderland anti-crime campaign led by Barbara Windsor
A talking car in Sunderland. And it had Dame Barbara Windsor’s voice.
No, it’s not a joke. It really happened in 1975.
The vehicle with a difference was in town to promote a fight against crime on Wearside 50 years ago.
‘A voice echoed from the radiator grill’
The story involved the car being stolen and dumped in the River Wear.
But as the stolen car was fished from the water, a well-known voice echoed from its radiator grill.
It told the story of how the three-year-old vehicle had its life’ cut short.
The operation was the beginning of a campaign launched by police in an attempt to reduce the number of stolen cars in the town.
‘He deserved what he got’
The car “spoke” as it was dragged from the river, telling onlookers how it was stolen.
Actress Barbara Windsor recorded the tape. In it, she recalled the incident which ended the car’s “life.”
“I wasn’t locked properly, my windows were open. My owner deserved what he got.”
Police hoped it would drum home to motorists the importance of locking their vehicles.
Oh yes she was
Barbara made a personal appearance in Sunderland in 2008 when she starred in pantomime.
She was among the cast in Cinderella alongside fellow EastEnders actor Steve McFadden and Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney.
Tell us about your memories of the 1970s in Sunderland by emailing [email protected]