Pershore brothers to drive grandfather's car 2,500 miles across Europe in his memory
Nick and Alex Irish are set to take on the Screwball Rally in their late grandfather’s beloved Rover 45 this month
A pair of Worcestershire brothers are set to honour one of their family members by driving across Europe in his old car.
Alex and Nick Irish from Pershore are set to take on the 2,500-mile journey in their late grandfather’s beloved Rover 45, which has been affectionately named Roger.
It's not the first time they've taken on the 'Screwball Rally', which happens over the course of five days and sees them aim to make it all the way to Austria in the vehicle, but they say it'll be their 'most meaningful one'.
Nick says it's special they'll be honouring their grandfather, who passed away last November, by doing it this time around.
"It's going to be different this year because it's our grandad's old car that he had basically from new and it's the car that he used to drive us around in when we were kids and take us to sports practice as opposed to a car that we've just bought off the internet," he said.Â
"He left us the car as part of his will and he always had taken an interest in the rally that we do every year and he always came and would take photos of the cars that we built and would always make comments and jokes about how we should use his car one year.
"We ended up with his car so we thought what better use for it."
The duo are also doing this challenge this year to raise additional funds for the peony room at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.
Peony rooms are available at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Alexandra Hospital to provide private, peaceful spaces away from busy hospital wards and was a place Nick, Alex and family deeply valued when their grandfather lost his battle with cancer in November last year.
"As a family we were incredibly grateful for the use of it last year," Nick said.
"Which is why we thought with the use of the car and this challenge, it was a fairly easy decision to decide on which charity we were going to support, especially when we found these facilities are funded through donations."
They're set to leave on 17 September and come home on the 22 September.