A Clacton teacher has taken part in a 3,157-mile rally across the deserts of North Africa... in a Lada car.
Alison Rose, who is a teaching assistant in the English department at Clacton County High School, is the co-driver of a red Lada car in a rally from Plymouth to Dakar, the capital of Senegal, on the west African coast.
Frances Pirie, who is also a teaching assistant at the school, said: "I have been texting her on my mobile phone and as far as I know, everything has gone really well."
On Wednesday, she received a text message that said Alison, who is taking part under the name of Team Red Star, had made it to Dakar which is 3,157 miles away from the starting point.
The event is organised by Julian Nowill, a stockbroker from Devon, as an alternative to the famous Paris to Dakar rally. The Lada is just one of many different cars, including an Austin Allegro, Hillman Hunter and a Fiat 127, to take part in the rally, which travels through France, Spain and Morocco on route to Dakar.
She is expecting to raise hundreds of pounds from the rally for the charity African Education, which will go towards paying school tuition fees, uniforms and school equipment.
Ms Pirie said: "People at school have been sponsoring her. I think they thought it was just an opportunity you couldn't miss. It's just such an exciting thing to do."
Published Friday, January 17, 2003
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