Boxing Day send-off for Plymouth-Banjul Challenge pair

Boxing Day morning was bright and clear and the family had turned out in force in Glovers Lane, Sidley, to see the intrepid pair on their way on the madcap Plymouth-Banjul Challenge.

The rules are simple.

*Spend no more than 100 on acquiring a left-hand drive car

*Spend no more than 15 on its preparation

Cousins Les and Stuart were equally laid-back, though Les did concede to checking that he had his green international driving licence with him and did, ever so casually, check that Stuart had remembered his passport.

Ahead of them lay 3,800 miles of some of the most difficult roads in the world.

As a concession to preparation, the pair had bolted a customised roof rack onto the 16 year-old, 54,000-mile 1.3 Fiesta, rigged a pair of donated spotlights, lashed on some tow-rope and stowed a spare wheel and, a jerrycan and a pair of sand-ladders.

The Observer enquired about the whereabouts of a back-up vehicle.

Silly question'¦

Do they will they will make it to The Gambia?

Another silly question.

Les said: "WE will make it. Whether the car will is another thing. The flights home are booked from The Gambia so we will have to get there'¦"

Riding on the expedition is sponsorship for No. 2262 (Bexhill) Squadron, Air Training Corps and International Animal Rescue.

A final family hug and kiss, a quick(ish) three-point turn at the end of the lane and with a wave of the hand from the crew (and what looked suspiciously like a puff of oil-smoke from the exhaust), the little Fiesta set off on what is expected to be a 16-day African adventure.

The progress of Sidley's answer to the World Rally Championship may be checked on www.plymouth-dakar.co.uk