A CAR enthusiast could miss his first wedding anniversary driving 8,000 miles to Mongolia in a car that should be in the scrapyard.

Richard Fox has been driving in stock car races for six years and decided to take part in the fourth annual Mongol Rally after hearing about it from friends.

He hopes to take two cars with two people in each to raise funds for the County Air Ambulance.

At the moment he will just be travelling with father-in-law and team mechanic Michael Underwood, but he is hoping his wife Melissa will be able to join them on the journey, which coincides with their wedding anniversary on Sunday, August 5.

However, there's one hitch - she has to learn to drive first.

He said: "It's just one of those things. Hopefully she'll pass her test so she can come with us."

The main requirement of the rally, which raises money for charity, is that the vehicle used must have a one-litre engine.

Depending on the route he takes, the journey could send him across two deserts and five mountain ranges on roads rated as bad to non-existent.

Thirty-year-old Mr Fox, of Hermitage Way, Stourport-on-Severn, said: "When I went on the internet and saw it I thought: I have got to have a go at that.' "The organisers say it should take about three weeks to do but looking at their website, out of 160 cars only 35 actually got to Mongolia last time.

"There's no support crew. It's just every car and person for themselves. It will be different - very different."

Mr Fox is also searching for a suitable car and spare parts in preparation for the journey to the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator which starts in London's Hyde Park on Saturday, July 21.

If you want to sponsor Richard Fox or can help him find a car and spare parts, log on to www.washesmongols.co.uk