Veteran fundraiser plans 'wacky' cross-India drive

A veteran fundraiser has embarked on her latest project - a 1,700 mile (2,735km) car rally across India.

Helen Hitchcock, from Steyning, West Sussex, is part of a team driving from Chennai to Goa.

Her previous efforts have included a wing walk, a skydive and riding a rickshaw 700 miles (1,126km) around southern India.

Ms Hitchcock is fundraising for two charities, the domestic violence organisation Safe In Sussex and Maher Ashram, which houses women and children in India.

She told BBC Radio Sussex: "There's 19 of us, and there's seven teams. At the moment our total is pushing £11,000.

"People really didn't know what to make of us in the rickshaws because they were painted pink, the colour of Safe in Sussex, and one of my wing women had the idea of doing fancy dress every day.

"Every day we got into the rickshaw dressed as something completely different, from Where's Wally to putting flamingos on our heads, and being Mexicans.

"We drove into Bombay dressed as pirates."

She said her sense of adventure started at an early age, and has been inspired by a recent charity.

"I grew up with a wonderful dad who said, 'if you want to do stuff, just go do it'.

"Unfortunately I lost my other half 18 months ago, and one of the things he said to me was, 'now go and live'.

"I love India, it's in my soul. There's so many times you can jump out of a plane or stand on the rings, maybe it's time to go and see the world."

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.