Soldiers' charity European rally leaves Merseyside

Four soldiers are setting off from Merseyside to take part in a cross-Europe rally in aid of Help for Heroes.

The men are driving 1,700 miles (2,736km) in ten days, visiting European battlefields and finishing at Hitler's retreat in the Bavarian Alps.

They will also run 10km (6.2 miles) a day and compete in a series of physical challenges against 44 other teams.

Sponsorship and a collection on Church Street, Liverpool, has raised £10,000.

Paul Gordon, aged 28, from Kensington, said: "People have been unbelievably generous and there's so much great support for the work of the armed forces in Liverpool.

"We've been very lucky to have been loaned a Land Rover as a lot of the route is going to take us over off-road terrain.

"It's going to be tough because we're running, driving and taking part in canoeing and swimming challenges along the way, and we can't wait to get going," he said.

Paul, an infantry regiment reserve soldier is joined by Gregg McLeod, a British Army captain, 28, from West Kirby; Tom Wood of 4 Mercian Regiment, 25, from Runcorn: and Michael Hill, a former Royal Engineer, 28, from Oldham.

The men, who met through their universities' Officer Training Corps, will stop off en route to pay their respects at World War II battlefields, including those in Normandy, and Arnhem in Holland.