A NEWPORT mechanical engineer is aiming to raise £3,000 for charity in a six-week rally drive from London to Mongolia.

Hari Patel, of Nash, Newport is taking part in the Mongol Rally Drive, which raises money by challenging people to take on a difficult drive across Europe and Asia to Mongolia.

The 24-year-old and four of his friends set off from Chichester and have began their 10,000 mile journey which will last six weeks before reaching the finishing line in the Russian town of Ulan-Ude in August.

Mr Patel and his friends, who have called themselves Team Odyssey, decided to take on the challenge to try and raise £4,000 for three charities: Great Ormond Street, Delete Blood Cancer UK and Cool Earth.

“It’s really exciting, it will take us six weeks to get to Mongolia but we want to appreciate the things in the countries we go through,” said Mr Patel.

“We all have our own and personal reasons as to why we are embarking on this amazing journey of a lifetime.

“However, all of our reasons revolve around the passion of travel, adventure and thrill seeking."

The only rules of the Mongol Rally Drive are to travel the route in a small vehicle to make the rally tougher, as well as raising a minimum of £1,000 for charity.

The website states that the aim of the journey is to get in touch with nature, speak to locals and try and navigate through the countries with no help or support.

Mr Patel, who has just graduated university as a mechanical engineer, helped to gather bits for the VW Polo he and his friends are driving from local businesses in Newport, as well as working on the car with his father.

“Everyone has been really helpful by providing us with car parts and helping us sort out what we need for the trip.

“About 300 people are doing the challenge this year, you have university students, father and son duos and there’s even people aged 70 and older taking part too.

“It will be interesting to meet people and see what they have done to their car and also show them ours.”