For the second year running, the Maidstone to Monaco banger rally has raised enough money to build a preschool in Africa.

Local charity Parenta Trust, based in Rocky Hill, Maidstone, organised the European rally which saw 14 teams battle it out over 1,000 miles in a series of challenges that took them to seven countries in five days – raising £18,000 in the process.

Participants had a budget of £350 to buy cars for the trip, with some being modified based on films such as Star Trek and Ghostbusters.

Managing director of the charity, Allan Presland, said: “It was another fantastic year for our rally.

“We’ve not only exceeded our sponsorship target, but we’ve increased awareness of this great cause.”

The trip saw the group traversing the famous Furka Pass - which featured in Top Gear and the James Bond film, Goldfinger - and taking part in a series of challenges, with one team using a forklift truck to raise all four wheels of their vehicle off the floor.

In May Parenta employees flew to Uganda to open the charity's first preschool and money raised from this year’s rally will be used to commission another much-needed facility for disadvantaged children.

Many of the teams are also committed to sponsoring children.