A lucky escape & great wardens at Moreton in the Marsh

We were on our way to Moreton in Marsh as a stopover en route to Hunter's Moon, last weekend (12/8) and the intention was to use it as a base for the caravan for two nights while we attended a wedding on the Saturday at Southampton Staying overenight before
and after the wedding. All supposed to avoid us rushing and arriving hot and sticky in our finery.

All was going well and to plan when the car (Freelander 2.2) suddenly lost power near J22 of the M1. We were in the middle lane having just passed a Lorry and in process of passing a caravan. Hubby changed down a  gear, still nothing, so quickly indicated
left then put on hazards. Fortunately the caravan driver being passed was switched on and noted our speed suddenly drop off - as did other drivers going by the number of horns bipped, despite the hazards being on. We managed to coast onto the hard shoulder
and forward a bit onto the Junction slip road, this being slightly safer and further away from the main m/way traffic. 

Greenflag were duly called after we exited the car onto the safe zone behind the barriers. Hubby got me a fold up chair to sit on (being disabled, climbing about and standing waiting was not exactly helping). Took on a whole new meaning to 'the view from
my deckchair'!

Technician arrived after 1/2hr wait and pronounced the turbo as being the problem. The engine would still run and tow albeit at 20mph with the danger of turbo disintegration but we slowly limped off at the junction to a nearby services that the mechanic
knew of. Further examination revealed turbo definitely gone so low loader for the car organised for onward journey to Moreton, and he would take us and the van there.

At this point I'm thinking how can we get to the wedding the following day. The later it got the less chance of sorting a hire car so thank God for good old mobile tech! Googling brought up several, which I rang, none of whom would deliver other than to
a home address. Looked like this was an expensive do. It was a posh wedding so not only had we both bought expensive outfits but had already prepaid the hotel (to get cheaper rates) and looked like both might go unused. Meantime other half had called site
wardens to warn them of our predicament and probable late arrival. No worries shop open til 7 and pitch already marked for us. Better still after I mentioned to hubby the difficulty of getting a hire car, the lovely wardens said they knew of a local company
that would deliver to site. Quickly rang those and they had one car left. Not able to deliver till the morning but prewarned about our issues would get it to site asap in the morning. It was an Aygo. :-(. Hubby said he was going in disguise as his idea of
the little car was not much. Beggars can't be choosers I said. I then forewarned the hotel of our predicament. 

Good job I'd done all this ringing round as we didn't arrive to site till just on 7pm (By the time we'd had to wait for low loader we stil had about 1 1/2 hrs to travel. Car went off to a secure compound over night and would be delivered to site on the Sunday
on our return from the wedding).  

We at least provided some interesting evening entertainment as we arrived on tow, better than the usual awning erection proceedings! We actually made it in time to partake of the wood fired oven pizza people that were there. That was Supper all sorted! Hubby
chatted with the wardens about the various comings and goings of tow trucks and low loaders and hire car and thanked them profusely for enabling us to hire a car. Nothing was too much trouble and they would handle any key changeover needed if we weren't right
there.

To cut what is now a long story short we made it to the wedding in the nick of time with half an hour to spare. The hire car had been late delivered due to traffic as was our journey to Southampton hampered due to traffic! Our room was immediately ready
as we should have had it the night before so we could refresh ourselves and change. All worth it, the bride looked stunning and it was a lovely day.

i can't thank the wardens enough for their assistance in helping us to make it in time. We cancelled our holiday and organised a lowloader tow truck home for the Monday. There was going to be enough expense getting the car fixed without further adding more
hire cars to it if we'd gone on to Hunters Moon. I'd looked at the site location and its not as handy as Moreton near to town, and with me being disabled would definitely have  needed transport for part of the time to get about for shopping etc. So Wareham,
it's delights and the Bournemouth air show will have to wait for another year. Hopefully less eventful. 

Ps the Aygo wasn't that bad a little car - automatic tiptronic gear change, reversing camera, and air conditioning And it managed 70, (plus a bit!) down the m/way. Not too shabby!!