A GWENT couple are preparing to drive a 1974 Land Rover around the UK’s 15 national parks to raise money for a local mountain rescue team.

Tim Jarvis, 30, and Hannah Byrne, 29, from Govilon, will take on the 2,000-mile challenge over 12 days in July to raise cash for the Abergavenny-based Longtown Mountain Rescue Team. Coleg Gwent lecturer Mr Jarvis volunteers as the team’s water safety officer, and was inspired to take on the journey by the first overland expedition in 1955, when a team drove a Land Rover Series 2 from the UK to Singapore.

Mr Jarvis has spent ten months rebuilding a 1974 Land Rover Series 3, and will use it to navigate the UK’s 15 national parks with Miss Byrne, whom he will marry in February.

Around 80 per cent of the cash they raise will go to the Longtown team, which costs £35,000 a year to run, and whose 35 volunteers are on call 24/7.

The rest of the money will go to the recently established Mountain Rescue Benevolent Fund, which supports rescue workers who have been injured.

Mr Jarvis and Miss Byrne need to raise £1,000 for fuel and supplies.

He said: “We’ve been lucky so far, people have generously donated items for auction and equipment to support the expedition – but we do need lots more support.”

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