“IT’S very bonkers,” said a spokesperson from Team 55 — Heli One, who are currently representing Launceston in the Banger Rally Challenge 2019 ‘Pompeii or Bust’.

Driving instructor Colin Mullis and his team mates, mechanic Scott Chapman and former driving student Natalie Rochford, along with their special Charlie Bear mascot, are taking on one of the most notorious charity rally competitions in Cornwall, which is due to end today [October 3]. The Launceston team have been competing against around 150 other team rally cars, in their specially created ‘Heli-car’ and aptly, along the way have been raising funds for Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust.

Ahead of the rally Colin said: “It is going to be a long trip — a week of sleepless nights I think.

“It has only been in the last three to four weeks I would say that we have been putting in really long days to fix it all up ready for the launch day on Saturday [September 28].

“A lot of work has gone into building the car, a lot of stress too. There have been a few arguments along the way, and a few donuts bought to make up but we are hoping it will all pay off and we will win ‘best car’ — we are being very optimistic!”

The rally rules are simply; it is not a race, teams simply need to complete a series of challenges on the way to Pompeii and back, and each challenge carries a points value — the most points wins!

Colin said: “It isn’t a race. You have challenges to complete along the way — the more challenges you complete, the more points you get. You could be the first to the camp but have the least points because you didn’t complete enough challenges.”

The challenges and route are kept a mystery until each new day of the rally, but Colin said he knows they will go to France first by the ferry: “We won’t know until Saturday where we are going in France. At about 10pm when we are on the ferry we will find out — but it is all kept very tight lipped, only a few organisers know the route, but it keeps it fair.”

So where did it all begin, Colin explained: “Well, originally I was speaking to one of the lorry driver trainers I work alongside and they said ‘you should do it’, I at first said there is no way I could do that but then thought why not, just go for the fun of it!

“The idea of the car, which is officially now referred to as a ‘Heli-car’ — I know, it’s very bonkers — wasn’t the first choice. We were going to be Super Mario, then crayons but one day I was sitting at home and I have a little model of an Air Ambulance on my desk and I thought ‘I could make that!’”

So, Colin quickly got to work and created propellers and a tail out of wood and put them on the roof of the Hyundai he had acquired, which was a former driving instructor car... however, the result wasn’t quite what he hoped for. He said: “It looked rubbish!”

Colin decided he needed a bit of help and so approached a number of local businesses to see if they would be interested in getting involved — and they were all too keen to help: “So I went in to some of the local businesses and gave them the idea, it wasn’t much to go on but they were all keen to have a go.

“People say there isn’t much community spirit but everyone was willing to help!”

Scott, of Scott Chapman Motoring Services, was keen to join in and became part of the team. He quickly got to work creating the Heli-car, complete with ‘functioning’ rotor blades supplied by West Country Supplies.

Colin said: “Scott is a good friend of mine and I said to him ‘do you reckon if I bring a car in will you paint it for me’, he said ‘I don’t like the sounds of this’, but I managed to rope him in with the promise of fish and chips with curry sauce!”

A number of other local, Launceston based businesses also kindly donated the necessary supplies needed to create the vision, including paint, services, team overalls and Charlie Bears provided a custom teddy to accompany the team. A custom made Cornwall Air Ambulance t-shirt was also created for the bear by Mrs Evans, whose husband works with Scott. Colin said: “We have decided the hold a ‘guess the teddy bear’s name’ competitions. We had already given him a name but if someone can guess his ‘travel’ name then they can win him, if no one guesses it we will use an online name generator to pick a winner.”

Through fundraising the team has raised almost £750, as the Post went to press, but they are keen to reach, and exceed, their £1,000 target. To help them reach their goal visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/team55heli1