NEWPORT car salesman Matt Nolan and five colleagues each got behind the wheel to complete a novel Top Gear style 24 hour charity marathon and then the six spent the night sleeping in their vehicle in the showroom.

Top Gear fan Matt, who works for Wessex Garages, in Spytty, Newport, says he dreamed up the hair brained scheme after a night watching his favourite show on TV.

Matt, driving a Hyundai car emblazoned with a St David’s Hospice Care logo, said: “It seemed like a good idea at the time and, in true Top Gear fashion, turned out to be so in the end.

“Myself and five colleagues, four males and two females from other Wessex dealerships in Cardiff, Gloucester and Bristol, spent 24 hours each in our cars to raise money for our respective charity of the year. The Newport showroom’s charity is St David’s Hospice Care.

“I was driving a relatively roomy Hyundai 130 while the others were living in a Fiat 500, Fiat Punto Abarth, Nissan Micra, Nissan Note and Kia Picanto. It was tough going but well worth the effort.”

During the 24 hours the steadfast six visited each of the dealership’s charity of the year, through Wales and the south West to help raise awareness of the organisations and also to donate a boot load of clothes to the charity to be sold in their shops.

After delivering the clothes and driving throughout the region the drivers and their cars all converged back in Newport in convoy to spend the night in their cars in the new Wessex showroom at Spytty.

Tania Ansell, of St David’s Hospice Care, said: “We never fail to be amazed at the imaginative ways supporters devise to help raise money for our charity. Matt’s is a wonderful road trip idea and we very much appreciate what they are doing to help sustain the charity in this way.”

For details on how to support the drive visit www.stdavidshospicecare.org or call Kris Broome on 01633 851058 or Matt Nolan on 01633 636126.