The Fiat Panda attempting to set a new world record for the 10,300 miles between Cape Town and London driven non-stop has reached the halfway point of Nairobi in Kenya. The crew of Philip Young and Paul Brace drove up from the frontier of Tanzania in the early hours of this morning.

If they are to beat the 14-day record, which has stood for 30 years, set by the British Army, they have now to endure the gruelling drive across the desert of northern Kenya, where one of the roughest tracks in Africa will prove a severe test. The crew are aiming for the border of Ethiopia. The desert run is long, hot and very exhausting, even for a 4x4 crew - the standard two-wheel-drive Fiat two-cylinder Panda will be facing the hardest, toughest section of the 10,300-mile, long drive home.

Philip Young and Paul Brace have made good progress so far.

They are raising money for Farm Africa, a charity working with local farmers in agricultural projects along the route.

They have to catch a ferry out of Tunisia to be in with a chance of beating the record. Providing the wheels don't fall off, they could be at Marble Arch by 6.30am on 11 February, for a cup of tea in the nearby Costa coffee-shop.

The record was set in 1983 by Major John Hemsley and his wife Lucy in a factory-prepared Range Rover, setting a time of 14 days.