MORE than 100 pre-war vintage cars roared into a Cambridgeshire museum today for the start of the Flying Sctosman Rally 2012.

Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Bugatti, Lagonda and Rolls Royce are some of the historic marques that were represented as motorists gathered at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford for the start of the rally.

Drivers and participants were dressed in a range of vintage attire as the rally set off for Scotland.

Participating vehicles date from 1910 to 1940 and drivers had travelled from across the globe to take part in this remarkable race.

Philip Young, rally director and chairman of the Endurance Rally Association, said: “It is the toughest thing on four wheels for drivers with pre-war cars.

“We wanted to put on a true marathon for the older car, and the Flying Scotsman has established itself now as the longest and, happily, the largest event of its kind. We are amazed by the support we have attracted this year.

“IWM Duxford is a new departure, it is the first time we have brought the event into the Cambridgeshire region, which opens up a route into East Anglia on the first day.

“If we can make a success of this, we will be back.”

Now in its fourth year the rally, organised by Britain’s Endurance Rally Association, is the longest and largest event for early period cars.

In a challenging three days the vintage vehicles will traverse the spine of England, driving through the Pennines into the Peak District, onwards up to the Yorkshire Dales and into the wilds of the Scottish Borders before finishing in style at St Andrews Golf Course, just north of Edinburgh.