THREE Herefordshire doctors are taking part in a road trip with a difference.

The doctors from Prometheus Medical, which is based at Hope-under-Dinmore, are working to provide the safe passage of travellers taking part in Land Rover’s GO60 Challenge.

Doctors Malcolm Russell and David Houston, who are well-known in Herefordshire for their work with Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS), will be joined by Dr Catherine Mangham to tackle different stages of the expedition, which runs from London to Singapore in 60 days.

Prometheus Medical is one of the main sponsors of the event, which is in aid of the British Red Cross and also celebrates the 60th anniversary of Land Rover.

The company is providing medical advice and training, water purification equipment, vehicle extrication training and equipment and a satellite communications package.

“A major part of the expedition is to raise money for the British Red Cross and we became involved as it sounded like it was a really good cause and an exciting project,” said Dr Russell.

“We will be an integral part of their team and we are there to supply medical support, including for major trauma and medical emergencies.

“But we will also be driving and I have recently finished a 4x4 winch operators course at Eastnor Castle. So it’s possible I won’t just be fixing people but vehicles as well.” The expedition is split into four sections and the first leg has made its way through Europe to Moscow. Dr Houston joined the team there and is travelling with them to reach Kazakhstan.

Dr Houston, speaking at the start of his leg, said: “Driving over 3,000 miles in five conspicuous Land Rovers with nine rather green but enthusiastic Land Rover employees is certainly a challenge to savour.

“I do not recommend the roads around Moscow to the fainthearted but aggression appears to be the key to survival.” The third leg will see Dr Mangham travel across China into Vietnam and Dr Russell will hook up with the expedition for the fourth leg across Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia before finally finishing at Singapore.

“This is a bunch of people who have never done this sort of thing before,” said Dr Russell. “It fits in with our environmental policy in that they are going to offset all their carbon emissions.” Should anything go wrong on the road, the travellers will be in good hands. Dr Russell and Dr Houston are members of MARS – a group of highly trained doctors who attend to accident victims before they are taken to hospital.

To find out more MARS, which is a registered charity, visit marsbasics.org.uk