MANY young girls in south Lincolnshire dream of being Flower Queen one day, but Christina Tyrrell had a very different ambition.
Christina always wanted to drive a tractor in the annual Flower Parade, a wish fulfilled this year when the 19-year-old will become the first female in the parade’s history to tow a float around the route.
Christina will be at the wheel of a 1958 vintage Fordson Dexta pulling, appropriately enough, the Dig For Victory float depicting the Women’s Land Army. Christina says: “It shows girls can do it too.”
Agriculture student Christina is comfortable inside a tractor cab, having grown up on the family farm J W Tyrrell & Son at Cowbit with her two older brothers.
She has been involved in the parade for a number of years as a member of Spalding & District Young Farmers’ Club, riding on the club’s own float or helping with charity collections on the big day.
Christina and her family also get involved in building the Young Farmers’ float in a shed on the farm and this year plan to showcase the best of British food with a display of fresh fruit and vegetables.
The invitation to drive a tractor came about because her father Trevor, who acts as a parade marshall, put his daughter’s name forward when he learned that some of the regular drivers would be unavailable on May 5.
“Most girls in this area want to be Flower Queen but I have always said I wanted to drive a tractor in the parade,” said Christina. “It’s been my life-long ambition.”
With her lovely blonde hair and outgoing personality Christina would make a perfect Flower Queen, but she admits: “I am a bit different to the crowd and a proper country girl.
“I always like to make my mark and this is my thing. I am making Spalding Flower Parade history.”
Floats are generally built around the tractors so the driver is often hard to spot. Look out for the Dig for Victory exhibit in the parade and you might just be able to see Christina making history on May 5.