A 12-YEAR-OLD Ford Fiesta with 120,000 miles on the clock and a price tag of just £700 will be home to two friends when they compete in a trans-European ‘banger’ rally in support of two Yorkshire charities.

Andy Bissett from Wetherby and Carl Green from York will join hundreds more drivers and cars of questionable roadworthiness, when they embark on the Romanian Route of the ‘Two Ball Rally’ to fundraise for St Leonard’s Hospice in York and Skipton-based children’s charity, The Principle Trust.

Ahead of the 1,500-mile road trip, Andy and Carl have modified their silver 2012 Fiesta with a skiing theme which they plan to complete by donning vintage skiwear.

Andy, a commercial finance broker and Carl, head of training at fast food giants Wendys, will leave Yorkshire on Wednesday, August 28 and drive their aptly named ‘Ski-esta’ 400 miles to the start line in St Quentin, Northern France. From there, the friends will average over 300 miles every day for five days as the route crosses France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. 

On day five the clapped-out cavalcade will take in the iconic Transfagarasan Highway, a 2000m high route of hairpin bends and rough terrain across the Fagaras mountains of Transylvania, before reaching the finish line in Bucharest, Romania. With a focus on silliness not speed, the winner is declared following a series of ‘challenges’ along the route including best intro video and most ludicrous parking.

This will be Andy and Carl’s sixth banger rally, having first completed the annual expedition in 2018, as a way to mark their 40th birthdays.

Andy and Carl outside St Leonard’s Hospice with Georgia Laing, Deputy Sister and the famous Gold Volvo from 2022Andy and Carl outside St Leonard’s Hospice with Georgia Laing, Deputy Sister and the famous Gold Volvo from 2022 (Image: Supplied)

In 2022 the pair raised over £2,000 for St Leonard’s Hospice by competing in a gold convertible Volvo which they snapped up on Facebook Marketplace for just £600. The pair chose the charity after the hospice cared for Carl’s mother who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021, enabling her to remain at home throughout her illness and in her final days.

This year, the two friends will split all money raised between the hospice and The Principle Trust, which provides respite breaks to children who are underprivileged, disadvantaged, disabled, have life-limiting conditions, or who have experienced poverty, trauma or abuse.

Ahead of the rally Carl said: "St Leonard’s will always be a cause close to my heart and we’re proud to support them again, alongside another fantastic Yorkshire charity, The Principle Trust, which helps disadvantaged families from Yorkshire to escape their everyday troubles and create valuable, happy memories."

The plucky pair are due to return home to Yorkshire on Tuesday, September 3; follow their progress at www.facebook.com/groups/5198047273550501