They are taking part in the gruelling Mongol Rally, founded four years ago to raise funds for Mercy Corps Mongolia.

The idea is to complete the journey in a vehicle of no more than 1,000cc.

Science teacher Jim Batts (28), ICT teachers Dave Crook (32) and Paul Bain (41), and Ali Phillips (25) who teaches history and classics, will set off from Hyde Park on July 19 in two vehicles, a Bedford Bambi van and a Corsa which will double as a support vehicle.

"We are all very inexperienced at this sort of thing," said Mr Batts.

"None of us is a mechanic and we'll be sleeping beside the road or in the van. We have heard the rally is very hard, but I think we'll be okay and are bound to know each other a lot better by the end."

The team got the inspiration for the charity rally after Mr Crook and Mr Batts went on a back-packing trip to Vietnam last year.

"The whole thing was born out of that and we decided we wanted to raise money for charity this time. It's something to write home about and tell our grand-children about," he said.

In addition to raising £2,000 for Mercy Corps Mongolia, the team also aims to raise £2,000 for the Hope and Homes for Children charity.

"If we exceed this we will split the surplus between the Teenage Cancer Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, Children with Leukaemia and the Midhurst-based charity Dreams Come True. Our aim is to raise £5,000 to £10,000," said Mr Batts.

Anyone who would like to sponsor the team should contact Jim Batts via Seaford College, where an account has been set up, or visit their website.

The team is also offering businesses the chance to sponsor them by putting their logo on the side of the Bambi van.