A MECHANIC from Lowton and his son have won a European rally in a banger.

Tony and Martyn Kilbryde won the Prague rally of the Motoscape Banger Rally by seven points in a 1998 Suzuki Wagon R+.

The concept of the rally is to buy a car for £333 or less, turn it into a wacky, eye-catching masterpiece and drive it through some of the greatest roads in Europe. Alternatively, classic cars that are 20 years or older can be used.

They drove 3,000 miles through 14 countries, raced around the Nurburgring race track in Germany, and climbed 9,000ft to the Stelvio pass in Italy.

Tony, aged 52, of Newton Road, said: “It was an absolute blast, even getting the car ready was great fun.

“It was fantastic to do it with my son as well. Everyone wants to build memories and this was something we’ll never forget.”

The father-son team, called ‘a bear attacking you with only a sausage is still terrifying’, which won the accolade of best name, chose to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

The team has raised £800 so far, while the rally as a whole has raised £75,000.

Tony, who works at Pitstop Motorcycles in Lowton, added: “I am actually going to sell my current car and keep the Suzuki for a while.”