IT’S a gruelling 10,000- mile trip that will take them a third of the way around the globe.

And if they don’t make it back in four weeks, these two Royal Navy marine engineers will have to fly out to the Falkland Islands to join their ship so they don’t miss a tour of duty.

But all that won’t stop Hampshire sailor Doug Clutterbuck and his friend Olly Buckland from taking part in this year’s Mongol Rally.

The pair, who serve on HMS Gloucester, hope to raise £3,000 for five separate charities by driving a one-litre Nissan Micra from Sussex to Mongolia – one of the poorest countries in the world.

Their journey, which started at Goodwood in Sussex on Saturday, takes them through France, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and Russia once again before finally arriving in Mongolia.

Doug, 25, of Botley, said: “We came up with the idea as we wanted to do something big, adventurous and quite spectacular for charity.

“The car is totally unsuitable for the journey and it’s expected to break down along the way. The possibility is that we will end up in all sorts of countries as we have to decide our own route to get there.

“We will be doing watches like we do on the ship so one of us can drive while the other sleeps.

But we’ve also got a tent with us.

There’s a bit of apprehension but we are both keen explorers and like to check out other people’s cultures.”

The pair will be joined by 300 other teams during the rally that does not allow vehicles with large engines. If they reach the finish line in the country’s capital, Ulan Bator, the car will be sold to help the event’s charities, along with all the successful teams.

Olly Buckland, 22, from Shrewsbury, added: “We have done a lot of research, prepared for mountains, deserts and dirt-tracks, but some people are yet to be convinced that we’ll make it.”