In September 2005, I took on the challenge of the Staples2Naples banger rally with two mates. This is the text from a photobook made from the team diary when we returned from a thoroughly epic adventure...

The challenge, as set out by the S2N handbook is simple: get your vehicle from Calais to Naples in four days. Each day there will be a set challenge with points to play for.

Your vehicle must cost less than £100, but in the interest of not having to do anything too strenuous, nobody from the organising team would be checking. More importantly, the vehicle must be road legal with a valid MOT.

There is a £1000 prize for the team with the most points, but that team must make it to the finish.

The route for the rally - France, Switzerland, Italy - should be around 1,800 miles, after which most teams opt to scrap their car and hop on an Easyjet flight back to the UK.

What’s the worst that can happen?...

So, with the relevant forms filled and the entry fee paid, the three members of freshly allocated team number 14, set about finding a car.