Big Vern, a 24-year-old Jaguar Sovereign, motored around 10 miles before it ground to a halt and had to be rescued by a breakdown service.

But the aged white car with white-walled tyres has a much bigger challenge ahead in July when it will be driven 470 miles from Poole to Scotland in the first Air and a Prayer Rally.

“Hopefully we’ll have it up and running in time for the rally,” said owner Jamie Drummond, managing director of Canford Cliffs and Lilliput estate agents Key Drummond.

Having bid for the car on eBay and paid its Guildford owner £278, he and co-driver Andrew Noble, of yacht broker Carine Yachts at Poole, then had to fork out £160 to join the AA and £80 for a new battery to get it back to Dorset. The expenses are far from over to get the car ready for its challenging run, but the pair are hoping to far outstrip that in sponsorship for Julia’s House.

Thirty-four bangers at the end of their useful lives, bought for less than £300 and driven by teams of two, will take part in the challenging rally, raising funds for the Dorset children’s hospice charity, and will be scrapped at the end of the event.

The idea came from luxury car seller Baron Cole and wife Sarah-Louise, along with Dominic Oxley and Lorna-Jayne Hoyland, and they aim to raise thousands of pounds to help support the charity, which is struggling to raise the funds it needs.

“We want to raise as much sponsorship money as we can along the way and get as much recognition as possible,” said Jamie, who said the children’s hospice was a cause close to his heart.

“I have three young children myself. I very much sympathise with families in such circumstances.

“It’s very difficult for everyone involved.”

Among the 15 or so who have so far bought their bangers and are driving them around to raise awareness, is Marc Haines, who owns Queens Park Garage at Boscombe and has painted his Jaguar XJS in the bright yellow and blue colours of Julia’s House.

“I am very, very optimistic we’ll raise more than we originally thought,” said Baron.

“Everyone is doing all they can to raise as much as possible.”

• The rally starts from Canford Arena on July 26.

Anyone who wishes to make a donation or sponsor a car can email baron@bjcarsales.co.uk