CAR wash owner Gent Jakupi and his manager Rob Gerrish have hit the road in an old Russian military truck to take it back to his home country of Albania so it can be used for filming.

Mr Jakupi, who runs Devizes Car Centre in New Park Street, has owned the old vehicle for a number of years and it could often be seen parked in his yard.

He said: "We are doing a road trip with a 1947 Russian military truck called ZIL 157. The Albanian army had loads of these tracks during the communist time but when the communist system collapsed in Albania all of these tracks were scrapped and the government never allowed anyone to buy them for personal pleasure.

"This is the only track with British number plates. We will be taking it back to Albania and it will remain there to serve the filming industry."

He expected to have something of a heroes welcome when they finally arrive but it is slow going as the vehicle has a top speed of 45 KPH. When they hit the autobahns of Germany they had to have a police escort as the minimum speed allowed is 60 KPH.

Mr Jakupi said: "We are awaited as heroes upon arrival in Albania especially for this exhausting long trip which will take 10 days or more to complete."