A WEST Devon couple, soon to be newly-weds, are opting to forego the sun and cocktails of a normal honeymoon and instead embark on a 3,000 mile trip in an old banger.

Tim Jones, 27, and Lara Pollard, 25, from Yelverton, are set to marry on July 6 in Buckland Monachorum.

But instead of the usual holiday after their big day, they have decided to take part in the 2013 Rome or Bust Rally organised by the St Austell Round Table.

The rally sees participants purchase a vehicle for no more than £350, which they use to travel to Rome and back again, while raising money for Cornwall Hospice Care, Cornwall Air Ambulance, Bosom Buddies and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Tim said they got the idea from a friend who had posted about the event on Facebook: 'We wanted to have an adventure on our honeymoon and as this is for a good cause we couldn't say no.

'We saw it on Facebook and thought we would quite like to do it and after thinking about it for a while, we signed up.'

Tim and Lara, who have aptly named their team 'The Honeymooners', bought a 1969 Saab 96 off Ebay, which had spent the last two years in a dusty barn.

'We thought it was in good working order,' said Tim, 'but it turns out it needed more work done to it than we thought.'

The couple have enlisted the help of Chris Hamley Saab Specialist in Yelverton, who has offered to help them along the way with a check-up and service.

Setting off from St Austell on September 19, The Honeymooners hope to reach Rome in five days and return back to the start in four days.

Tim said that the organisers gave the teams a list of mini challenges to do along the way such as taking photos of various things and they have arranged overnight stops in interesting places.

All of the money raised from the event will go to the charities, the running costs of the vehicle and living costs will be covered by Tim and Lara.

The couple would like to involve as many local businesses and individuals as possible in sponsorship and advertising on the car.

Anyone who would like to sponsor The Honeymooners or is interested in advertising on the car can contact Tim on 07834 730231.

The couple will be showing off their car at various events in the run up to their adventure, and Tim will be sending out live updates up to and during the challenge on his Twitter account @romeorbust10 For more information visit http://www.romeorbust.co.uk">www.romeorbust.co.uk