A three-week repair to my cherished Mini has taken eight months

Classic Mini was in a garage for a gearbox repair and is still there eight months on. Photograph: Motoring Picture Library/Alamy

I am a pensioner and last September had my cherished low-mileage classic Mini transported to a garage in Northampton for repairs on its automatic gearbox.

I wanted the car checked over because I intended to take part in a 1,000-mile charity drive to raise money for multiple sclerosis. But eight months later I still don’t have my car back.