Fundraising campaign under way to save Corby's famous Dora taxi wrecked by drunk driver

A local mum has launched a fundraising campaign to restore Corby’s most famous taxi after it was written-off by a driver three times over the limit.

The Dora taxi, owned by Brian Muckdee, was a familiar sight on Corby’s roads.

The vehicle had Dora the Explorer music, lights, decorations and trimmings and was loved by children across the town.

It was named after Brian’s beloved wife, and two months ago he had the taxi wrapped in pink, costing him £2,000.

Then three weeks ago, a drink driver smashed into it outside the Raven in Rockingham Road, wrecking it.

Brian’s insurance company have offered him just £2,600 – an estimate of its value.

But fresh national legislation mean that new cabs on Corby’s roads must be under four years old and must be black in colour – so a replacement would cost Brian more than £20,000 and would not be in Dora’s signature pink colour. A repair bill to keep Dora on the road would be just over £5,000.

Now local mum Stacy Sweeney has launched a gofundme to help get Dora back up-and-running.

She told the Northants Telegraph: “When the taxi pulls in my street all the kids go running to see it. He gives them sweets and they just love it.

"What’s happened is heartbreaking.

"I didn’t really know Brian before this but I wanted to help because it obviously means a lot to him and to all the kids of Corby.

"We’ll just do what we can. We’ve already raised more than £500 since the appeal went live last night.”

Brian has temporarily borrowed a taxi from a pal so he can keep earning while Dora is off the road, but he is still paying back the loan he took in order to buy her in the first place, and he doesn’t have the money to buy a new taxi under four-years-old. He said: “I’m devastated to be honest.

"The kids absolutely love it, especially the disabled kids with autism because of the lights. One man told me the only time his daughter is calm is when she’s in my taxi.

"I’ve had hundreds of comments on Facebook wishing me the best since last I posted about Dora. It’s been quite overwhelming.

"I’m struggling with the cost of living like everyone else and there’s just no way I could afford to buy a new cab.”

You can find the fundraising page here.

- Lewis Cross, 24, of James Watt Avenue, Corby, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at an appearance at Northampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday, May 11). The court found that he had 111 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. He was banned from driving for 26 months and given a 12 month community order which includes 80 hours of unpaid work in the community and 10 rehabilitation requirement days. He was also ordered to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.