County rovers return

10:11am Thursday 25th September 2008

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Two adventurers returned home to Pembroke Dock at the weekend after completing an ‘exhausting but amazing’ trek across Europe for charity.

With their Range Rover named ‘Taffy and his dragon’, Jane and Bernard Evans travelled a total of 3,400 miles, visiting ten countries in seven days, taking part in the 2008 LandyRally.

The couple from Pembroke Road encountered tricky driving terrain — including Spanish sand bowls and narrow cliff top tracks — and Andorran policemen and members of the Italian Army along their journey.

Jane said: “It was exhausting but amazing.

“The scenery along the way was absolutely beautiful.”

However, the couple did encounter a slightly scary moment along the route when Bernard found the brakes were failing as he drove down a steep mountain.

The altitude had affected the brakes and Bernard had to pump them before stopping at the bottom of the mountain and bleeding them to prevent any more potentially hairy mountain top moments.

More than 30 Range Rovers took part in the competition from across the UK including a former Pembrokeshire pair Tim and Keith who Jane and Bernard met and picked up the award for team spirit as part of ‘Team Taff’.

“We would never have missed it for the world,” added Bernard.

A surprise donation was also made in Italy by a tourist from the Lake District, who after hearing of the couple’s adventure and the charities they were raising money for, handed them 20 euros.

So far a total of £426 has been raised for Genes for Jeans and £586 for the local Withybush diabetes charity.

With donations still coming in the couple are well on the way to raising more than £1,000 for charity.

The adventurous pair are already planning their next trip, this time competing in a rally to Transylvania next July, where they will visit hospices along the route.

Donations to the couple can still be made by emailing Evansb1@tiscali.co.uk.