A trio of charity fundraisers have made it back in one piece after completing a three-day rally across Europe in a £150 banger. And as well as crossing the finish line, the Beccles Breast Cancer Now team were the only all-female group taking part and were voted the overall winners of the rally out of 57 entries.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The Beccles Breast Cancer Now car in The Alps during the Crumball Rally.The Beccles Breast Cancer Now car in The Alps during the Crumball Rally. (Image: Archant)

Kim Robertson, Tracey Riches and Benita Ogg took part in the Crumball Rally, driving from Beccles to the starting line in Reims in France and then travelling to Thun in Switzerland, over the Grimsel, Furka and St Gotthard passes to Locarno, and ending in Venice.

The rally had a James Bond theme and the women got to visit memorable locations from the films including Blofeld’s mountain-top lair from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and the dam where Bond performs one of the world’s highest bungee jumps in Goldeneye. They also completed tasks along the route, including car snooker and a 007 quiz, all to raise funds for Breast Cancer Now. Mrs Robertson, 51, who founded the group in 2011 after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, said: “It was the most amazing fun. I love a road trip anyway and it was great to do the challenges and everyone who took part was so friendly. “But we never expected to win. Our faces must have been a picture! “We had put a lot of effort into our car and our outfits, but there were so many other cars there that were amazing too.”

The votes came from the organisers and other teams and they won 250 Euros, which they will donate to the charity, as well as champagne and a trophy. Traditionally after the rally is over teams scrap their cars and fly home, however the women decided to keep their car to take to fundraising events, so they did a team swap and started the journey back to Beccles.

Mrs Robertson said: “The car kept in one piece. The only thing that happened was we lost a indicator bulb on the ferry out there.”

Sponsorship from the rally and their Machu Picchu Peru mountain trek in July has now reached £3,000.

To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/BecclesBreastCancerNow