A DARING duo from Preston will be completing an extraordinary challenge on Thursday (June 22).

Pals Peter Poulter and Andy Bleasdale have spent the past 24 hours travelling 1,000 around the country in an open-top Morgan sports car in a bid to raise cash for the Marie Curie Cancer charity.

Alan, co-director of a printing agency, and Peter, an AA patrol officer, set off from Liverpool a minute after midnight yesterday (June 21) and were due to return to Merseyside at the same time today.

And the friends, from Fulwood, made time to call in at nine Marie Curie hospices around the country.

Their challenge was made even more difficult by sticking to the national speed limits and tackling unpredictable weather.

But although they don't think the feat had even been achieved before, they didn't go for an official record because there wasn't enough room in the two-seater motor for an independent adjudicator!

Peter said: "Anyone can do 1,000 miles if they really put their foot down. But the key to this is doing it in a single 24-hour stint driving within the legal speed limit." Peter became friends with Andy through their mutual interest in Morgan cars.

Andy, the Morgan Sports Car Club's northern area secretary, said: "It was a fluke really. We both bought our Morgans on the same day at the same event, from the same dealer.

"It was the dealer who remarked how unusual it was to sell two cars to two people from the same place, and it just went from there."

And in addition to being loaned a V8 Morgan by the manufacturers, the duo also received pit-stop support from Morgan dealers and enthusiasts and, of course, the AA.

Peter said: "We're just two normal blokes who bought Morgans because we wanted them to use and have fun with, which is exactly what we're doing here.

"Being able to raise money for a good cause while we do that is a bonus."

Pictured are Peter Poulter, left, and fund-raising partner Andy Bleasdale