The transmitter operator was Peter Bradley. Five teams attended this first Collier Cup event. A good signal was heard at the start. (I was not there). The bearing was in the direction of Abingdon. One team (guess who) stopped near Warborough at 8:00. The transmitter was so strong he raced up the road to find it swung around to the left at Dorchester and he proceeded to run down the path near to smaller river adjoining the River Thames. Then, having not found Peter, decided to go back up the other side of tributary were there was another distinct path (which is not on the map), only to find Peter in a small coppice just after the 8:15 transmission. The other teams arrived much later in what looks like a orderly fashion.

Brian Bristow.

Some further material from the winner:

I beat up the west of the side river and decided that I was the wrong side, ran down to the footbridge across the side stream on the Thames-side foot path. Stayed there until 8:15 to confirm which side Peter was on, ran the 8:15 transmission and nearly fell into the swamp Peter was hidden in, found wire overhead, with very little cover on the ground. Peter was lain down in what little scrub there was and this was only 2 foot high (easily trampled on see later).

After I had got in and talked to Peter for what seemed like ages (2-3 minutes with no one else around). As I walked back to my car (the short way) without torch on, I could see many torch lights where I had been across the tributary to the Thames, accompanied by oaths from the blackthorn and brambles. I thus carried on back to my car, (not wanting to make it easier for the others). Just as I approached my new Jag, Alan must have seen me as he slammed on his brakes on the main road and backed up to follow me down to the Thames. He did not realise I was staggering back to the car, SO I carried on past my car back down the marked foot path on the wrong side of the tributary , with the others. Admittedly, the bearing swung violently at the end of a row of houses, straight over the field to the river bank, (right opposite where Peter was). So I searched (again) with the others until they got bored and ran round to the other side. Even then when they found wire, they all had their torches pointed skywards, until someone literally fell over Peter, calling out 'Dad, over here'.He didn't ought to have done that as there was then it was an ungodly scrum to get in. I'm surprised there was actual seconds between them, perhaps it was the time to get the card out of the depths of a pocket, or maybe fight off the others...

Sorry I couldn't stay for a beer, but duty (or rather the Boss) called and I still had 2 hours driving to get home.

Chris Plummer