Clare Teal: Surpise, surprise and many happy returns to a birthday boy

It was our friend, Colin’s, (he of the singing and dancing) 50th birthday. To celebrate this “monumentous” occasion, Colin had been unsuspectingly bundled down to Bude for a weekend to remember – although what he does actually remember will remain to be seen!

On Sunday, a bunch of friends showed up to surprise him and a great day was spent on the beach and in the pub.

Monday was his proper birthday; Colin thought we were staying put in Yorkshire all week. Muddy (she of excellent surprise plans) had been ringing him for weeks asking what he was doing for the big event, saying we wouldn’t be around, but would definitely do something the weekend after. His good friends, Russ and Mary, had been doing the same thing.

At three o’clock, we all piled in the car and headed down the M5 to Exeter, then on to the A30 past Okehampton, hung a right at Launceton, then onto the A39 heading north to Bude, or Widemouth Bay, to be exact.

Colin et al were booked into a curious B&B which, décor- wise, seemed to have been modelled on the set of Man About The House or perhaps On The Buses.

We had booked into The Bay View Inn just a few feet up the road. After looking on Google maps we realised that we would have to drive past their place to get to ours, so worked out an alternate route. In reality, after nearly three hours in the car, none of us could face the extra 10-mile detour and so took the short-cut.

Everything was going to plan we could see our destination looming ahead, but we could also see Colin on his balcony.

Suddenly, the huge blue truck in front of us sort of jack-knifed in the middle of the very small road, causing all who could, to stand up and gawp, including Colin.

“Duck,” shouted Muddy pulling down her sun visor. I pulled the atlas in front of my face till we were safely past.

The look on his face when he walked in to the restaurant was a perfect picture.

Happy Birthday, Colin.