A Westcountry journalist is gearing up for a rallying adventure that will take her across Europe to the Sahara Desert and back.

Alyson Marlow, a motoring writer for the Southern Daily Echo, will embark on the 21 day trip on September 30 with double British ladies rally champion Barbara Armstrong.

The pair know each other well as Alyson has been rallying for several years and is also a member of the Western Group of Motoring Writers.

And when she discovered that Barbara was looking for a female co-driver, she jumped at the chance to volunteer and embark on a journey that would give rise to so many opportunities for stories.

The journey will take Alyson and Barbara through France, Spain and Morocco before finishing at in the Western Sahara Province.

She said: "I have written about Barbara before but never driven with her.

"I have already written several stories about the rally and there will be opportunities for more when I return."

In addition to her writing, Alyson has had to commit herself to an extensive preparation programme.

"Just learning about the medical side has been an experience," she said. "There's also the task of plotting the route on the foreign maps that are nowhere near the standard of Ordnance Survey ones."

The pair have also had to ensure that they are physically fit enough to be able to cope with the gruelling schedule that will include spending a night out in the Sahara Desert.

"There has been a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes in the gym," she said.

Alyson is sure that all of this will only increase her inspiration for articles upon her return.

"I'll have lots of features to write and it will be such a great experience for us both. We are on our own with no support crew like there are in normal rallies, so we have had to learn how the car is put together."

"I'm sure there will be a few arguments between us along the way, but hopefully we'll come back as friends… and winners! We are not just there to make up the numbers," she added.

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