Ex-soldier taking the wheel for comrades

The 1200-miles European road trip and banger rally is for any vehicles which cost less than £567 to purchase and then modify.

Stewart Lyons and his friend Stephen Daly from Bishopbriggs, who are both originally from Strathaven, started off with a Ford Ka that had seen better days.

After carrying out fairly extensive repairs they now have an eye-catching and fun car complete with a ‘Dumb and Dumber’ theme, as seen in the hit comedy starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

Starting in St Omer in the north of France on August 16 they will travel through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy and Monaco before arriving in Nice in the south of France on August 20.

They will be raising money for SSAFA - the Armed Forces charity (formerly known as Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association).

The charity exists to relieve need, suffering and distress among the Armed Forces, veterans and their families in order to support their independence and dignity.

Stewart joined the Army in 2010 and served six years with 2 Scots the Royal Regiment of Scotland, including two tours of Afghanistan.

He also had deployments to Kenya and the Falkland Islands, until his medical discharge in April 2016.

He said: “I suffer with PTSD, luckily I have received some great treatment and I am on the mend, others are a lot less fortunate.

“Unfortunately I lost close friends while serving in the army. But it seems to be now I am out, we lose more friends due to mental health problems.

“This is my way of trying to give something back to my brothers and sisters who have served side by side protecting our way of life and freedom as well as helping to raise awareness towards SSAFA and all the armed forces charities.”

Stewart and Stephen attended the Scottish Car Show earlier this with ‘Dumb and Dumber’ and will be attending as many car shows/meets as possible before the event starts.

They have set a fundraising target of £3000.

To give £2 text DOGO70 £2 to 70070 or alternatively visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/team-dumbanddumber to make a donation.

To find out more information about SSAFA please visit the website at www.ssafa.org.uk.