25 January 2008
Competitors have just covered the great distance of 4,567 kilometres from the UK, through France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal, to reach the Gambia in western Africa.
The challenge is extremely demanding, especially as competitors are required to cross countries on board a car costing just £100.
Upon arrival, vehicles and equipment were auctioned off for the benefit of charities based in the Gambia, with organisers hoping to beat the total of £108,888 collected last year.
The first Plymouth-Banjul challenge started in 2003 as an ironic tribute to the Paris-Dakar Rally.
This year's Dakar rally was cancelled due to security reasons in Mauritania, but Plymouth-Banjul drivers refused to be intimidated.
Ms Geri Mitchell, one of the challenge's organisers, told the Point that 60 per cent of the proceeds would go to registered charities in the country and 40 per cent to the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism and the Gambia National Olympic Committee.
Next year's challenge is expected to start on December, 20th 2008 over a period of three weeks.
