A businessman will fly to China today to start a journey of a lifetime.

Peter Robinson, from Darlington, will travel from the Great Wall of China through Mongolia, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and France - by car.

Mr Robinson has run Thomas Watson Auctioneers, in Northumberland Street, for the past 35 years. He will undertake the Peking to Paris Challenge with his colleague, Roy Stephenson, in a Sixties Aston Martin DB4 - known as EMU 5.

The endurance rally is 8,500 miles, and Mr Robinson expects the trip to take 35 days. They set off next Sunday, and hope to arrive in Paris on Saturday, June 30.

"The car is just about the least suitable vehicle to take across the Gobi Desert," Mr Robinson said. "To quote the organiser: 'Quite frankly, you will struggle'."

The rally celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first trans-continental motor rally.

Mr Robinson has spent three years planning and preparing for the rally.

He decided to enter as a personal challenge, but will also raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity and The Lennox Cancer Fund. So far, almost £10,000 has been raised.

To follow their progress, or donate money, visit www.royandpeterp2p.com

Alternatively, donations can be sent to Roy and Peter P2P Charity Fund, 11 Northumberland Street, Darlington, DL3 7HJ.

The idea for the race came from a challenge published in the Paris newspaper, Le Matin, on January 31, 1907, that: "What needs to be proved today is that as long as a man has a car, he can do anything and go anywhere. Is there anyone who will undertake to travel this summer from Peking to Paris by automobile?"

There were 40 entrants in the race, but only five teams shipped the cars to Peking. The race was held despite the race committee cancelling it.

There were no rules, except the winner would get a magnum of champagne.