
I did exactly the same thing one Christmas when I got a Captain Scarlet SPV Dinky toy. Worked out how to trigger the rocket launcher by firing it into the fire.
( , Mon 27 Oct 2014, 9:56, Reply)

so Fred could be really young, or he got an SPV as an adult (which was not uncommon)
or Fred is a time-traveller
one of those options
( , Mon 27 Oct 2014, 12:13, Reply)

Dinky as a brand basically died out in the 70's.
( , Mon 27 Oct 2014, 12:52, Reply)

what if he got a second hand one for christmas?
( , Mon 27 Oct 2014, 13:17, Reply)

as it would have been lost in a fire long before.
Check. Mate.
( , Mon 27 Oct 2014, 13:33, Reply)

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-missile-rocket-for-Dinky-Fab-1-Shado-2-SPV-Spectrum-Pursuit-Vehicle-/141439589573
Back of the net.
( , Mon 27 Oct 2014, 13:45, Reply)