Text of Telegraph and Argus article

Car-crazy Neil Harris will raise more than a few eyebrows when he sets off from Bradford to Mongolia this summer —in a clapped out, red car that cost just £20 on website eBay. The 47-year-old locum pharmacist will be getting behind the wheel of a rusty rather than trusty Citroen 2 CV to raise enough funds to send a cow to Africa.He will be teaming up with his partner Jan Williams to cross 11 countries, two deserts and five mountain ranges covering 8,000 miles in just three weeks.The money they raise will go direct to the Send A Cow charity which uses money from donations to buy the animals and give them to needy families in East Africa helping them become self-sufficient.Neil, of Great Horton, followed last year’s Mongol Rally from a safe distance on the Internet but was determined to be there in person when the 2005 convoy leaves Dover at the end of JulyIt was when he was surfing the web be spotted the buggy and snapped it up for £20. “It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. It looked good in the photo but I knew I’d only get what I paid for so it was no surprise when there were great big, gaping holes in it,” said Neil who encouraged Jan to enrol on a welding course. Now Neil has the car, he also needs people’s help to keep him en-route to Mongolia.“I could really do with a garage somewhere in Bradford to keep it and me out of the worst weather while I work on it,” he added.There will be no mechanical or medical back-up and no home comforts when Neil and Jan set off.“We’ll have the minimum of clothes, two cans of fuel and one of water and that’s the lot. If we break down we have to leave everything and make our own way to the finishing line — or home either on foot or by catching a ride on the next yak,” said Neil. The couple will be living and sleeping in the car 24 hours a day untilthey finally pull in to the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator.At the end of the race Neil and Jan will have to leave what is left of the car — nicknamed Mervin because it’s registration plate starts off with MRV — and give it away to a local charity “It’ll be an emotional moment saying goodbye to Mervin, especially if he gets us there but then I’ve a feeling there will always be another year and another car.” Anyone interested in sponsoring Neil and Jan or offering the use of a garage, should telephone Neil on 07739 310550 or log on to wwwmarvindoesmongolia.blogspot.com