So Justine rolled up at the Holiday Inn, Brighouse, perched in front of Joshua on a grass track racing motorbike.

"We wanted to make sure they really made an entrance," said Joshua's dad Gary Birkett, of Ebor Close in Mirfield.

Champion biker Joshua, 15, is a pupil at Castle Hall School, where 16-year-old Justine had just finished her studies and so was on the list for the leavers' prom ball.

Turning up via different modes of transport was part of the occasion. Stretch limos and fire engines are all brought into play.

"She rode in front of him, on a cover so as not to spoil her evening dress," he said. "Joshua has been mad about bikes since he was five. I used to ride and got him a small bike as a boy. And he is as keen as ever."

That is proved by Joshua twice being British grass track champion and the holder of other awards.

But Joshua couldn't go to the ball as it was only for leavers. "He was gutted," said Gary, 49, who took the bike to the Holiday Inn in his van as it is not allowed on a public road.