Lads' adventure from Northumberland to Africa in 29-year-old banger
Three 19-year-olds are set to drive a 1996 Renault Clio from Wooler to Marrakech
Three lads are set for the adventure of a lifetime as they take a 29-year-old banger from Northumberland to Africa.
Xan Goonan, Nicky Chisholm and Ashden Wilson, all 19, are taking part in the Rabat Rally Rampage a 1996 Renault Clio that they picked up for £550. They'll start their journey of roughly 2,200 miles in Wooler this Sunday, and hope to arrive at the finish line in Marrakech, Morocco, on Wednesday, April 23.
In the UK and Europe, their journey will take in Kent, the Peak District Le Mans, the Pyrenees and the Costa del Sol. They'll cross the Strait of Gibraltar then traverse the Rif Mountains, with stops in Morocco's medinas, such as the blue city of Chefchaouen.
Xan, a royal engineer from Ellington, described the journey as a challenge, but said he's confident the boys will make it. He told ChronicleLive: "When I first heard about it, I thought it was a bit crazy.
"I went out with Nicky to drive it after we'd got the car. Before we picked it up and saw it, I thought is this actually going to make it? But we took it for a drive and it's pretty solid."
Despite the Clio's age, it only has 88,000 miles on the clock. Some of the other racers are taking cars that have closer to 300,000.
Xan continued: "I am pretty optimistic that we'll make it. The only way I think we'll have a problem is in the Sahara Desert to be honest, with the heat."
The trio aren't planning to bring the car back to the UK. Xan added: "The plan is to find someone who needs a car in Spain after we finish and just give it to them, or the worst case scenario is we'll scrap it over there."
An adventure of a lifetime for the three friends is not the only motivation for the trip, they're also raising money for MIND, with more than £1,000 in the kitty so far. Xan said: "It's a huge life change for me.
"It's such an amazing adventure as a whole, and to raise a lot of money for charity, for men's mental health, that's a bonus. So I thought, why not?!"
Ashden said: "Every mile we drive is a stand for men’s mental health, a reminder that no one should battle in silence. Just as no rally is won alone, no man should navigate his struggles without support.
"With each donation and every challenge on the road, we hope to spark conversations, raise awareness, and drive change—because the toughest journeys are the ones worth taking."
For more information or to donate to the fundraiser, visit the boys' JustGiving page.