AN adventurous duo raised funds for charity and scooped four trophies each when they drove from London to Pamplona, Spain, in a classic car rally.

Malvern Hills District councillors Wiz Clift and Barbara Williams travelled in Barbara's 1960s Rover P5B Coupe to help raise funds for a £15,000 ultrasound scanner.

The scanner will be shared by two doctors' surgeries in Knightwick and Great Witley.

The women - the only all-female crew and the only fund-raising team among 90 teams - were triumphant, despite the car brakes failing three times.

Their winning categories were Against All Odds, because they were the most unlikely contestants to finish, First in the Class, because they were first in their class of car, First Novice, and First in Club Man Team.

"We were split into teams and our team came first," said 52-year-old Coun Williams.

"The brake fluid boiled but we were so determined to finish the rally that we let the fluid cool and continued.

"We were a bit worried but there were so many people rooting for us that we wanted to do well. "

The women thought their brakes would fail when they were driving over the Pyrenees.

"The brake pads were smoking," said Coun Clift.

"It was quite intense!

"We only bought with us an egg timer and a map, and we had to borrow a stop watch when we got there.

"I must have been the only person who rallied in a skirt every day."

The car, which belonged to Coun Williams' late husband, Andrew, was driven by Coun Williams, and Coun Clift navigated.

The 15th Classic Marathon rally took place from Sunday, September 21 to Friday, September 26.

Tests

Coun Williams of Coppice Hillend Bridge, Martley and Coun Clift, who runs the Talbot restaurant in Knightwick with her sister Annie and mother Jean, drove nearly 2000 miles and had to complete a series of racing course tests along the way.

The women have yet to count the money raised, but through previous charity events, and with sponsorships for the rally, they have estimated a total of around £15,000, their target for the scanner.

The scanner will be used in the treatment of numerous medical conditions including deep vein thrombosis, liver and kidney conditions, gall stones, threatened miscarriages and non-specific abdominal pains.