THREE friends from Abergavenny racing to Mongolia in a Nissan Micra are a month into their challenge.

Twenty-two-year-olds Robert Morgan, Sion Thomas and Rhys Briggs, set off on the Mongol Rally from London on July 20 in a bid to raise money for St David's Hospice Care and environmental charity Cool Earth.

The team, named the Smart Casuals, updated their social media followers last week while they were travelling through Kazakhstan.

A photo was posted on their Instagram account showing the friends struggling on the bumpy terrain with the caption: “They say this is the main road through Kazakhstan."

An earlier photograph showing a lonely camel was captioned: “Pretty much the only thing we've seen in Kazakhstan so far.”

The team predicted the challenge would take six weeks through Europe,Turkey, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan before reaching Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

Photographs from their time in Georgia at the Zhinvali Reservoir and the capital Tbilisi can also be seen on the team’s Facebook page.

The three, who have known each other since they were four or five years old, went to Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni Primary School together and then on to Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Pontypool.

Speaking before the trip Mr Morgan said: “We got the car from a garage in Hereford for £450. I probably have the most mechanical knowledge of the three of us – but it’s not the best.

“St David’s have helped some of my family and Sion’s family as well and I have raised money for them in the past.”

Visit facebook.com/thesmartcasualsrally to find out more and to donate.