Morris Minor racers suffer a major setback (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Morris Minor racers suffer a major setback

THE Morris Minor which very nearly got James Higgs and Damien Bottle to the end of a 8,000 mile charity car rally is now in the ownership of a villager in the Russian mountains.

Mr Higgs, 26, and Mr Bottle, 24, both from Devizes, were leading the rally when they were forced to give up in Russia less than 100 miles from the finish at Ulaan Bataar in Mongolia.

Mr Higgs said: "The Morris Minor gradually lost power. The car was on its last legs and it stopped.

"We were in a remote part of eastern Russia and we were able to get a lift from a Russian to the nearest train station, which was 185 miles away, in exchange for him having the Morris Minor and on the understanding I posted him the parts for the car.

"It was difficult to explain what we wanted and there was a rather confusing conversation with hand signals and three different languages being spoken but the Russians were extremely helpful."

Mr Higgs will be sending the £15 worth of four exhaust valves, needed to get the car going again, to its new Russian owner.

At the time of their withdrawal from the Mongol Rally Mr Higgs and Mr Bottle were three hours ahead of their nearest rivals. More than 50 one-litre cars entered the rally, which started from London on July 30, but a third of them did not finish.

Mr Higgs said: "We are not bitter. We've had a great experience and met hundreds of people across our journeys. Our Morris Minor provoked so much interest among the locals. People flocked to it when we stopped and were asking us about it and had their pictures taken with it."

The pair, who bought the 41-year-old Morris Minor from a man in Melksham for £250, returned home to Devizes last Friday and are back at work. Mr Higgs is a committee clerk at Kennet District Council and Mr Bottle is an electrician for Renelec in Devizes.

The pair had a frightening experience when they and four other teams were ambushed by bandits while asleep in their cars in Kazakhstan.

Mr Higgs said: "The bandits had machetes and knives. They were shouting and shaking our car. Damien and I played dead and ignored them. The other teams got out of their cars and the bandits took their money before escaping. It was a bit scary."

Their progress were also hampered by Russian bureaucracy.

On reaching the Russian border Mr Bottle was refused entry due to a problem with his visa caused by an official in Kazakhstan.

They had to drive back 100 miles into Kazakhstan to meet the Russian Consulate before the problem was sorted out.

The pair raised more than £2,000 which will be split between Save the Children and Send a Cow charities.

Mr Higgs said: "We are grateful to local businesses for their support in sponsoring us and we would like to thank everyone who has helped us."