Willenhall couple's epic car trip celebrates anniversary and boosts charity

Laura and Stephen Harvey set themselves the challenge to coincide with their seventh wedding anniversary and have raised £800 for the mental health charity Shout.

Stephen, a 31-year-old lorry driver, was behind the wheel of their five-year-old Peugeot during the trip.

Meanwhile, during the long journey mother-of-two Laura, 32, documented the whole trip on social media.

Laura, a part-time counselling student and crisis volunteer, said: "We set off on Easter Monday at 2.30am and travelled to Land's End with myself during a documentary during the entire journey.

"The footage went on TikTok and I posted videos on Twitter and Instagram and we handed out leaflets anywhere we happened to stop during the trip.

"We managed to complete the trip in 41 hours and, despite hitting some Bank Holiday traffic leaving Somerset, this was still four-and-a-half hours less than our target.

"We aimed to reach home at midnight but actually arrived at 7.30pm on April 19 so that we had time to celebrate our wedding anniversary on April 20."

Laura added: "Usually we book a place at a spa or a fancy hotel but this year decided to help others by raising funds through the drive.

"It was an amazing experience and we were lucky enough to speak to many people along the way about the amazing work Shout do and about the need for more volunteers.

"I started volunteering with Shout in May two years ago and am currently attending Wolverhampton College and training to be a therapeutic counsellor."

"Although I don't drive, my husband loves to get behind the wheel and we often go on road trips.

"This challenge combined both our passions and our skills.

"It was an arduous journey but before becoming a HGV driver Stephen was a van driver doing long-hauls across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and back again in just 24 hours.

"We are over the moon and so thankful to everyone who has either donated, taken the time to share our posts, or cheered us on along the way."