IT will be Timbuktu or bust when an ex-Chipping Norton man rallies and surfs his way across more than 4,000 miles in aid of two charities.

Jeremy Aylmer will be in London Surf Club's five-strong Sahara Surf team that will leave London on Saturday, January 10 to join the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge.

This annual challenge, now in its third year, will see many teams driving to the capital city of the West African country of Senegal in vehicles costing only about £100 each.

They will drive through Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Banjul in The Gambia.

An extra leg has been added to the journey, which will see them continue onto Bamako and Timbuktu in Mali.

This will be done to raise sponsorship money for UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s charity, as well as for SurfAid International which improves the health of people living in isolated areas.

Sahara Surf will travel in two 1993-manufactured vehicles, a Shogun and Range Rover.

They will occasionally stop to surf while travelling down West Africa’s Atlantic coast.

The team will fly back to Britain because, upon reaching their destination, they will auction their vehicles off to raise money for local charities.

They will also give their surfboards to Senegal’s surfing-mad youth.

Jeremy’s father is veterinary surgeon, Peter Aylmer, of Chipping Norton’s Worcester Road.

Having lived in London for eight years, Jeremy works as a trader in The City.

Jeremy has surfed for about 10 years in locations such as Australia and the Galapagos Islands.

He said: “I heard about the challenge in a pub from a friend of mine.

“I’d read a book about Timbuktu a few years ago and had a desire to get out there.

“I’m very excited.

“It should be quite a challenge.”

To sponsor Sahara Surf and obtain details about them, visit their website at www.saharasurf.co.uk