RALLY driver Shelly Taunt has not only packed her bags for a rally of a lifetime - she has also packed and sent her car off half way around the world to the Barbados where she and her team will be taking part in the SOL Rally Barbados.

Taunt, from Highworth, packed her car on the container ship Klipper Stream for a three week journey across the Atlantic Ocean which departed back in April from Portsmouth Dockyard ready for the teams arrival next week.

The Subaru Impreza was one of 32 other competing cars from the UK to make the epic journey to the Caribbean island.

Shelly’s regular co-driver Julie Murphy will also be making the trip abroad for the asphalt event that starts with The LIME King of the Hill timed event over the weekend of May 23 and 24 with the rally taking part the following weekend of the May 30.

Co-driver Murphy said: “This is a rally of a lifetime. It’s going to be an amazing experience for the whole team.

“We have worked very hard to make this event happen, and it became very real when we delivered the rally car to Portsmouth a few weeks ago.”

“The SOL Rally Barbados has been on my bucket list for quite some time,” said Taunt.

“I have competed in the UK for the past 20 years and we thought it would be a great idea to set ourselves a challenge and to compete in something that is going to be completely different to any other rally that we have competed in before and with the amazing help of family, friends and sponsors this dream has now become a reality due to their continuous support and backing and with that we have to thank them so much.”

The Caribbean event has become very popular with overseas visitors and this year has been a record breaker for the amount of British crews attending.

Taunt and Murphy are the first and only all-female crew to take part in the event in the 25 years it has been running, whilst the only other female driver in the event who is also British is Portsmouth-based Cheryl Spencer who will be co-driven by husband Barry.

The Highworth duo will have to contend with temperatures of 90 degrees and above and with full race gear on this is something that the pair will have to very quickly adapt too.

The girls will also endure a few days racing around the island before the main event starts and so they are hoping that they can familiarise themselves with the area and the heat as they know they have strong competition against the locals who have competed in the event since it started.

“Our goal is to simply finish,” added Taunt.