A MARCH man is teaming up with two school friends for a 1,500-mile road trip, to raise money for a charity which helps children with cancer. Their destination will be Valencia, where they will join 40,000 other people in lobbing squashed tomatoes at each

A MARCH man is teaming up with two school friends for a 1,500-mile road trip, to raise money for a charity which helps children with cancer.

Their destination will be Valencia, where they will join 40,000 other people in lobbing squashed tomatoes at each other.

Jonathan Lishman, of Fairfax Way, along with school friends Ian Cousins and Martin Watson, and work colleague Stuart Ward, will start the Ramshackle Rally on August 24 in Calais.

They will arrive in Valencia four days later and, on August 29, take part in La Tomatina - one of the world's largest food fights.

Mr Lishman, 37, said: "I paid £100 for our car, a Renault Laguna, and it will be scrapped at the other end.

"I am halfway through spraying the car, making it look as hideous as I can, but I am running low so if anyone has spare cans of spray paint, they can drop them off at 5 Fairfax Way."

Mr Lishman, Mr Cousins and Mr Watson went to the Neale-Wade Community College, in March, leaving in 1985.

Mr Cousins now lives in Devon and Mr Watson lives in Solihull, but all three kept in touch with each other and occasionally meet up. The fourth team member, Mr Ward, is from Peterborough.

So far the team has raised more than £1,600, just £400 short of their initial target.

All the money raised will go to the charity Amy's Retreat, a charity which sends cancer-suffering children on holiday with their family. Mr Cousin's wife Vicki is on the charity's board.

Mr Cousins said: "Rumour has it that we're only doing this for fun and frolics, but there is a worthy cause which will be benefiting greatly from any small amount of cash we raise."

# To sponsor, visit www.justgiving.com/valenciaorbust