Friends, Jason Oakley, Garry Elliot, Andrew Tucker and Harris Richardson, recently completed the Europe-wide charity road rally, Benidorm Bangers, raising over £2,500 for Devon Air Ambulance.

Benidorm Bangers is a non-profit charity rally and navigational challenge that begins in the UK and takes teams all the way to Benidorm, with daily challenges to complete along the route.

The rules are that bangers must be as cheap and whacky as possible, costing no more than £700, so part of the challenge before even setting out is to get the best banger for your buck.

The rally is an opportunity to get immersed in some incredible European scenery, while also being a good excuse to spend a few days having a great time with mates - and all for a great cause.

The lads in their £400, 5-series BMW met in Ace Cafe with the drivers and passengers of 90 other cars before travelling down to Dover for the ferry and the first overnight stay in Rouen.

Daily challenges, fancy dress and fantastic views were a few of the ingredients that made for a top trip in the mould of Top Gear.

The first leg of the trip totalled 22 hours before further overnight stops in Limoges, Andorra, Valencia and finally, Benidorm. On arrival, bangers were welcomed by locals and accompanied into the resort by police escort who were there to manage the sheer numbers of vehicles.

“It was an amazing experience and a really good laugh,” says Jason. “We would like to thank everybody and all the businesses that sponsored us to raise such a decent amount of money for such an important charity for where we live.”

The lads enjoyed the event so much they have already signed up for next year’s rally.

“We’re always delighted to hear about the events and activities our fundraisers get involved in,” says Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director at Devon Air Ambulance. “It’s largely thanks to support like this that we are able to raise the funds we need to keep our air ambulances flying.”

We look forward to hearing about the team’s European ventures next year.