A NORTH-EAST rally crew is going into overdrive for a three week 6,000-mile endurance test from London to the Sahara desert and back.

Nicky Porter, from West Auckland, and his co-driver Malcolm Sinclair, from Sunderland, are competing against 70 other crews in the World Cup Rally, organised by the Classic Rally Association.

They will be guiding their Mitsubishi Space Star through France, Spain and Morocco with a ten-day drive through the High Atlas mountains to Marrakesh before finally fulfilling Nicky's long-held ambition to drive in desert stages.

Surprisingly, they will face their toughest challenges on the return journey through Portugal where uneven gravelled surfaces can be treacherous for even the most experienced competitors.

Nicky, a competitive motorist for 40 years, was to have navigated with his son Julian in the driving seat, but Julian accepted a broadcasting job in New Zealand.

Nicky said: "I have been rallying all my life but I have never gone into the desert. It would have been a shame to give up my entry. This will be a great experience. It will be a big test of reliability, but we have built a strong little car and I just hope it stays in one piece."

The pair are supported by the Oakley Service Station, in West Auckland, and Hydram Engineering from Chilton.

They are raising money for the British Heart Foundation in Bishop Auckland. Stirling Moss sets them off from the Brooklands Motor Museum, Weybridge, tomorrow and they are due to return on October 19.

Follow their progress on www.carnet.co.uk/rallyoffice