Bookworm, I still think it is lunacy, especially for a 4hrs on type pilot. Doing the math(s), he had 3:07 flight time in the PA32 for the Wellsbourne-Dieppe-Shotteswell round trip. So, two successful landings, two successful take-offs and whatever he got in his previous hour long checkride.
Would you have had a go in exactly the same circumstances?