European banger challenge for drivers from Northamptonshire

Landlord Paul Crompton and 17 other Evenley and Mixbury residents will soon be painting their cars yellow in aid of a good cause.

The group is entering the ‘Monte Carlo or Bust’ banger driving adventure which will see them drive across Europe in some ‘previously loved’ cars.

Nine cars are being purchased for just £300 or less each and currently range from a Rolls Royce to a Fiat Cinquecento and most are fit for the scrapyard.

The cars will be painted yellow, ready to start the three-day 950-mile rally from Belgium (they’ve got to get there first), over the Alps to Monaco in early June.

Why yellow? The group is undertaking this challenge in aid of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.

Landlord Paul Crompton said: “If it wasn’t for the air ambulance, Angie wouldn’t be here today.

“And as each mission the helicopter flies costs £1,700 we will do everything we can to make sure someone else’s life is saved by this fantastic charity.”

Angie was in a car accident which left her with a serious head injury. The first emergency services to arrive on the scene were from the air ambluance. Angie was sedated at the scene, then flown to the major trauma centre at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire.

She spent six weeks in an induced coma before being woken up.

Later this month the cars will re-emerge in their new livery.

And an official send-off with local support and hopefully the air ambulance in attendance is planned for Saturday, May 28.

Over the past 12 months, the Red Lion and its customers have raised £12,462.24 and rising for the air ambulance.

Its lifesaving missions are funded purely through donations; it does not receive any government funding.

You can support the group by visiting www.justgiving.com/Monte-Carlo-or-Bust-Challenge or donate by texting Even55 £(donation amount) to 70700. Visit the team on Facebook www.facebook.com/MonteCarloorBust2016. Or you could just drop into the pub.