A Western Isles duo have completed an extraordinary drive thousands of miles across two continents in an ancient Volvo for charity.
Claudine Bloom, 65, and Andy Twort, 50, from Lewis drove their faithful 1965 Volvo Amazon model 122 – nicknamed Amy Amazon – all the way from the Great Wall of China near Beijing to Paris.
The Homeric odyssey was the culmination of three years of hard work in preparing the ageing Volvo for the gruelling challenges which lay ahead, including long stretches where there were no roads at all.
The duo surpassed all expectations by finishing the rally in the top section of drivers – 14th overall and third in their class for cars built between 1941 and 1975 which Ms Bloom said was “far, far higher than our wildest dreams”.
The duo also raised nearly £5,000 for their chosen charity The Leanne Fund which supports Cystic Fibrosis sufferers.
The rally is in its sixth year and is regarded as one of the toughest challenges for classic motorists in the world.
The drivers set off from the Great Wall on Sunday, June 12 and finished 36 days later in the French capital.
Along the way, they drove through the remote deserts and mountains of northern Mongolia before crossing into Russia and Belarus, as the prelude to heading to France through Europe via the Alps.
Ms Bloom was full of praise for her driving partner, Mr Twort, an aeronautical engineer, who prepared Amy Amazon for the mammoth expedition.
She said: “It was all about preparing for Mongolia which is an amazing place, but is extremely punishing.
“There are no roads at all and it’s really tough on cars.
“Our car was set up brilliantly to handle those conditions.
“We were going past people that had problems and we didn’t even have to stop to pump the tyres up. We were very lucky.”
Ms Bloom described the stretch through Mongolia as the highlight of the challenge, adjudging the country as a “place mankind hasn’t really touched yet”.
She added: “It’s completely beautiful and unique, an astounding and outstanding country in every way. It is absolutely beautiful.”
The duo were also awarded a gold status for their high placing in the overall standings of the rally, which had 115 teams taking part.
The duo’s chosen charity The Leanne Fund was set up in memory of Leanne Mitchell, a young woman from Lewis who died of cystic fibrosis in 2009.
The charity funds special treats and a range of support services for young people affected by Cystic Fibrosis and their families in the Highlands and Islands.
Leanne’s mother Chrisetta Mitchell who helped set up the fund, said: “We are so grateful to Claudine and Andy for supporting The Leanne Fund through this amazing challenge.
“We have enjoyed watching their progress along the way and we were delighted to see the Leanne Fund T-shirt in various locations including the Great Wall of China and Belarus.”
The Amy Amazon team was also raising funds for the Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice in Sussex.
To support Amy Amazon’s challenge for The Leanne Fund visit
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/AndyTwort
.