Rally pair about to reach Sahara

The pair have spent less than £100 on the car

Two men from Kent are about to reach the Sahara desert after a successful first week in a rally across Africa.

Simon Cray, from Strood, and Dan Sergeant, from East Malling, left Kent in their 1992 Ford Escort last week in the Plymouth to Dakar charity run.

Just getting to Africa at the start of the 4,000 mile trip in a car that cost them less than £100 proved hazardous.

"We had to take a detour through Andorra when the roads were closed because of snow," said Mr Sergeant.

Sliding sideways

"We stopped in a town for a few beers and in the morning took a major wrong turn.

"It ended in an eight-hour drive to get 20km down the road, which went through another Pyrenean pass.

"At one point the cars were sliding down sideways."

They are driving with more than 30 others to Senegal and hoping to raise £3,000 for Yalding charity GamBLE.

The challenge was set up in 2003 as an alternative to the Paris-Dakar rally.

Aimed at people with a limited budget, the rules state that competing vehicles must cost no more than £100.

At the end of the rally the cars are sold to help African charities.