a day ago
Wrexham bakery worker to participate in 8,000-mile car rally
Car enthusiast George Loftus, who works at Jones Village Bakery, will take part in the Mongol Rally, known for 'motoring stupidity on a grand scale.'
He and his three friends will undertake the challenge in a Renault Clio 2009 Sport Tourer, a £500 'banger' with a 1.2-litre petrol engine and 138,000 miles on the clock.
The route includes the Pamir Highway, the world's second-highest road in Tajikistan, reaching an altitude of 15,272 feet.
At that altitude, the air is so thin that it could affect the car's engine performance.
Mr Loftus, a senior development technologist, was inspired by the Top Gear trio, Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond.
He and his friends, Tom Suter, Jon Fowell, and Hau Ying Baker, met at Shropshire's Harper Adams University, where they bonded over their shared interest in cars.
The group, called No Half Sends, is one of 198 teams participating this year.
Mr Loftus, 27, said: "The Mongol Rally is an organised charity rally that runs each year.
"It started off in 2004, and it sees teams take a small and unreliable car from Prague to Oskemen, Kazakhstan.
"Teams are given a start location and time, and a finish location and time - and that is it.
"There is no set route, so teams must plan their own way.
The group, called No Half Sends, is one of 198 teams participating this year (Image: Mandy Jones)
"The rally organisers like to promote the adventure aspect by allowing teams to come up with their own route and embrace the unpredictability that comes with travelling intercontinentally."
The team has already planned their journey, which kicks off in the UK, followed by France, Belgium, and Germany to reach the Czech Republic.
From there, they will weave through Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Georgia.
Finally, they'll pass through Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan before reaching the finish line in Kazakhstan.
The team will have to negotiate a logistical hurdle at the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, which is currently closed.
They will ship their car from Tbilisi to Baku on a lorry, fly across the border, and then continue their journey.
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Mr Loftus said: "The border is shut between Georgia and Azerbaijan, so we have to ship our car from Tbilisi to Baku on the back of a lorry, and we will fly across the border and then wait in Baku to collect the car.
'Once we've got the car, we are crossing the Caspian Sea on a ferry."
Mr Loftus thanked his employer, the Village Bakery, for their support.
He said: "The support has been great from the whole team at the bakery."
As well as raising funds for the Cool Earth charity, Mr Loftus's team will support five other organisations through their sponsored drive.
These are Lupus UK, the Stroke Association, Grinshill Animal Rescue, mental health charity BEN, and the farming charity RABI.
Village Bakery shareholder Robin Jones said: "I must admit it seems a bit bonkers but I take off my hat to George and his team because it's going to be an epic adventure and they're going to be raising money for some very good causes."
Simon Thorpe, CEO of the bakery, said: "George is a great guy who is a great asset to the team.
"He's a very capable and resourceful young man, and I am sure he is going to need those qualities during this amazing adventure."
