TWO years ago Forest friends and car enthusiasts Ted Taylor and Gordon Townley took on the Round Britain Reliability Run.

Now the duo are back alongside Andrew Newman, of Tetbury, Oxfordshire, to take on the 25th event, organised by Club Triumph, and raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Still battling with bouts of ill-health, Ted has roped in Mr Newman to share the 2,000-mile, non-stop drive from Stevenage in Hertfordshire to John O’Groats and back via Land’s End in 48 hours.

He said: “Although the ‘Vlyers’ went two-up in 2014 – just six months after I had undergone a knee replacement – with further problems in the offing it was decided that it would be advisable to go three-up for 2016. Andrew was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the seat was his.”

The Sling man, who is now aged 72, is travelling in his much-loved and faithful old ‘Woodie’, a Triumph Mk2 2500 estate daily ‘hack’ on October 7.

Ted said: “The hack is my everyday car and the biggest problem I have is just keeping her going. She took part in the run in 2014 and since then she’s undergone unexpected repair work ahead of this event.

“We pass through Monmouth and Chepstow in the early hours of Sunday, October 9 on the way to Land’s End before finishing in Hertfordshire.”

The event is held every two years to raise money for charity. This year Club Triumph hope to raise more than £60,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Some of the cars taking part include Triumphs and Standards of all types, sports cars, saloons and estates.

Ted added: “In 2014 we raised £1,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support which we hope to exceed this time.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com and search ‘Team 30 – The Vurest uv Dean Vlyers’.