COMPANY boss Colin Mackenzie believes his tunnelling machine operates more efficiently whenever his daughter Karen kisses it on its way.
Mr Mackenzie, of Chapel Road, Flackwell Heath, managing director of AMEC Civil Engineering Ltd, named the 70-ton machine after his 26 -year-old daughter when his company bought it four years ago.
The firm has a tradition of naming machines after the wives or daughters of employees.
He added: "Karen loves the machine and was very pleased to see her name on it.
"It may sound superstitious but when Karen gives the machine a kiss or a pat at the start of a job it seems to work extra well.
"Karen has Down Syndrome and is always saying: "How my machine? "She's got lots of pictures of it and tries to get to see it whenever she can."
The tunnelling machine was bought from Canada and has been used in Liverpool, Brighton, Clacton, Southport, and South Wales.
The machine won a safety prize of £500 for one job which it did in Clacton. The money was donated by Karen to The Down's Syndrome Association at the Burnham Day Centre which she attends.
Picture shows Karen Mackenzie with the tunnelling machine
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