An unlikely pair of green crusaders have emerged from New Addington with a power generating device made out of scrap metal.

Jim Clugston, 55, saw pictures of a static generator at the recent climate camp and decided he would set about making one himself.

While looking for work the unemployed engineer decided he would search local tips and skips for the bits he would need and recruited his friend Martin Lee, 50, to help.

The pair set about welding a support frame for an old bicycle they found and attached an old Ford Granada alternator to a belt on the back wheel.

Through the energy that was generated from the bicycle wheel’s revolutions a car battery can be charged and power utilised with an inverter.

Mr Clugston, whose son is a machine-gunner with the 1 Rifles in Afghanistan, said: “I saw pictures of a static generator and thought ‘that looks easy’, so I set about making one.

“I am a firm believer that things left lying around should be reused so we gathered bits of metal and a bicycle and Martin provided an alternator and then we just set about making it.“ The green pair then began welding the frame that would support the bike and discovered how easy it would be.

Mr Lee said: “The bicycle we are using needs a bit of work to support the weight of people without slacking off the alternator belt, but other than that it is pretty much there.”

“All the bits and pieces I have built around the garden have come from reclaimed bits and pieces; it just makes sense, why pay for new ones if you can build your own out of scrap.”

They plan to display the bike at the Croydon Mela Festival on Saturday, August 1.

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