THEIR children feared they would be killed, but they called it their "gap year for wrinklies". When Southampton couple Carol and David Edwards decided to retire, the pair initially thought about taking a leisurely tour around Europe.

Instead, 15 months on, and Carol and David have just returned from rather more of an adventure than that.

In fact, it was an adventure that saw them drive through 30 countries, clock up more than 40,000 miles and journey from one tip of Africa to the other and back again.

On the way they managed to break down on the remote African Savannah plains after breaking an axle, learned to live without toilets and encountered some of the friendliest people they had ever met.

Carol and David, from Portswood, began their mammoth trip by packing a tent, a single holdall of clothes and a water filter into a second hand Toyota Land Cruiser they had affectionately dubbed "The Beast".

Mum-of-four Carol wanted to seize the opportunity while they were both physically able and before any grandchildren appeared.

She said: "Friends and family thought we were mad. Our daughters feared we would be killed by terrorists or eaten by wild animals.

"Originally the plan was to get to Cape Town, but once we got there we thought we might as well continue and circumnavigate Africa."

For the full story and pictures of their epic journey see your weekend edition of the Daily Echo