Drivers begin chip fat fuel rally

Greek odyssey fuelled by chip fat

Cars powered only by chip fat and cooking oil are setting off on a two-week rally from London to Greece.

Competitors must not use conventional petrol or diesel, so are relying on waste cooking oil from restaurants and bars they come across on the way.

Thirty cars are taking part in the "Grease to Greece" rally, which aims to highlight alternatives to fossil fuel.

Organiser Andy Pag said: "We are really running the gauntlet and it's going to be quite a challenge."

Kebab shops

Drivers began the 2,500-mile trip from the Ace Cafe in Stonebridge, north London, to Athens on Saturday.

They aim to travel through Germany and Austria, before following the Adriatic coast down to Greece.

Mr Pag said different international laws and cooking habits might hamper the journey.

"In Belgium the kebab shops use lard rather than oil to fry their chips, in Germany they have very strict waste regulations so they may not be allowed to give us their oil."

As a result, teams will be allowed to resort to biodiesel and in emergencies buy fresh cooking oil from supermarkets.

Last year Mr Pag drove a truck from the UK to Timbuktu powered by bio-fuel made from waste chocolate.