TWO teams of intrepid drivers are about to set off on a journey to outer Mongolia in refurbished ambulances to raise money for charity.

They are taking part in the Ulaan Baatar rally in which hundreds of teams drive small and generally unsuitable vehicles from the UK to the capital of Mongolia.

Two groups of friends, one based in Wotton and one based less than 20 miles away in Bristol, have decided to undertake the 10,000 mile journey in ambulances.

The Mongolance Crew gained a place on the rally with their ex-NHS ambulance, which the team bought from eBay.

Ben Burrows, 27, of Wotton-under-Edge, and his friends Emma Fencott, Mike Kulba and Niall McHugh, are raising money for Mercy Corps Mongolia and Cancer Research UK. They will also donate their vehicle to a Mongolian Charity if they make it to the finish line – 75 per cent of entrants often do not.

"A combination of bad roads, no roads, mountain ranges, major river crossings, theft, vandalism, corrupt officials and vehicles literally falling apart make the event a serious challenge," said Ben, a diving engineer.

The team has gained a lot of support from local businesses.

Ben added: "Businesses we have approached so far have been extremely generous, we cannot thank them enough for their help."

Meanwhile the Bristol to Baatar team are polishing up their 30-year-old Land Rover ambulance, which was donated to them by the Wiltshire branch of St John Ambulance and has been repaired by Williams Automobiles in Bristol.

David Green, of Tresham, and Rob Figueiredo, of Yate, who both went to Clifton College with their teammates George Greenbury and Ashley Coates, are also fundraising for Mercy Corps as well as the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation and St John Ambulance.

The team will drive across Holland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland, before entering Russia and heading south to the Kazakhstan border.

"That's the point where the roads run out, and we will find ourselves driving on sand all the way across the Kazakh desert," said Ashley, 20.

The teams set off on Friday and hope to complete the rally in a month. To sponsor the teams either go to www.bristoltobaatar.com or www.justgiving.com/themongolance-crew