SIX intrepid Scout leaders from Widnes are set to embark on a 3,500 mile charity road trip in a pair of old bangers costing less than the average price of a petrol lawnmower.
Next month Ged Barrett, Andy Brown, Carl Preece, Paul Norcross, Pete Minghella and Rob Duckett will leave all home comforts behind when they hit the road to Morocco – on the west coast of Africa – in two clapped-out Peugeot 405s worth just £250 each.
Unofficially spoken of as The Ultimate Banger Challenge, a motley collection of bargain basement cars will be assembled, with Ged and the team aiming to raise more than £2,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Organisers of the two-week rally say the aim is to get to Dahkla using as little tarmac as possible and the more inappropriate the car, the better.
Some nights will be spent under the stars camping in deserts, others will be spent snatching a few hours sleep in the car.
The journey begins on March 15, with the team setting off from Widnes, via Dover, to Calais, then through Le Mans and Bordeaux before crossing the Spanish border to Bilbao, Salamanca, Seville and on to Gibraltar, Tangier, Fes.
The rally then heads further south towards Merzouga, across the Sahara Desert and over the Algerian border, before heading west across the Atlas Mountains to Marrakesh and finally Casablanca on the north Atlantic coast.
The team has set itself a 12-day target to reach their destination, then will then drive back to Malaga in Spain where they will auction the cars and its contents, donating the proceeds to a local Scout group before flying back to Manchester.
Team leader Ged told the Weekly News: “Going on a road trip like this has been a pipe dream of mine for many years now.”
“About two years ago I brought it up with the lads after a few too many beers and they thought it was a great idea.”
“It has been 18 months in planning and now the start is almost here we are like a bunch of excited kids.”
“The Alzheimer’s Society is close to all of our hearts and we are hoping to raise around £2,000.”
“We expect that the car journey will be about 3,500 miles, assuming we don’t get lost, and the total journey about 5,000 miles.
“What could possibly go wrong?”
For more information on the challenge or to make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/MadMoroccoTour
News Source: Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News