THREE men set off on Friday morning in a £200 banger in a race across Europe to raise money for Cotswold Care Hospice.

Dave Shaylor, Gary Browning and Steve Louks will drive 1200 miles in their Mercedes – named Jaws – from Stroud to Prague.

They will be one of 65 cars taking part in the Czecheap rally which will see the competitors go through Belgium, Germany and Austria before arriving in Prague, in the Czech Republic.

They will drive non-stop in the car they have christened Jaws which has a fin on its roof and legs sticking out of its jaws.

They bought Jaws for £200. The car had already been used for a banger rally to Italy. But it didn’t bother the men who are both mechanics. Dave owns DJ Shaylor garage in Stroud and Gary works with him.

They last took part in a similar rally to Barcelona a few years ago.

“It’s good fun seeing all the other different cars and you see some amazing places and in the evenings there is plenty to talk about with the other people taking part,” said Dave.

It’s was Steve’s idea to raise money for Cotswold Care Hospice.

“It’s a local charity and everyone knows someone who has been helped by the hospice,” said Gary. “We’re hoping to raise £1,000.”

The trio will take turns driving for an hour at a time and load up the car with food from supermarkets. In the evenings they will meet up with other members of the rally.

They will arrive in Prague on Monday and then fly home that night. And what happens to Jaws?

“By luck and through a friend of a friend we have found a buyer for him and will leave him in Prague. Though I don’t know what he is going to think of its decorations,” said Gary.