Epic journey in tribute to brother of Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt and his brother Charlie (right) competed in the London Marathon together

Two friends are embarking on a journey in a classic car from the Great Wall of China to Paris in memory of the brother of former Chancellor Sir Jeremy Hunt.

Surrey businessman Charlie Hunt died from spindle cell sarcoma, a rare cancer, in August 2023.

His friends Ed Talbot, from Woking, and James Hall-Smith, from Marlborough, Wiltshire, set off on Saturday to navigate through 12 countries in a restored 1972 Lancia Fulvia as part of the Hero-Era Peking to Paris Motor Challenge.

The pair, who are raising funds for charity Sarcoma UK, said it was their friend's "adventurous spirit and can-do attitude" that inspired them to take on the challenge.

The trio had known each other since they were young men.

Mr Talbot said: "Charlie's attitude in life, and while fighting this terrible disease, was only upbeat and positive.

"He embraced everything life had to offer and brought a contagious energy to all he did."

Mr Hall-Smith added: "He was a doer and went on a lot of expeditions himself such as climbing Machu Picchu in Peru.

"He would have been very excited for us taking part in this event."

Ed Talbot (left), Charlie Hunt (centre) and James Hall-Smith (right) were friends for many years

The 9,319-mile (14,988km) rally crosses Asia and Europe and is expected to take six weeks.

Charlie Hunt was diagnosed with sarcoma in 2020.

He ran the London Marathon in 2022 with his elder brother, Jeremy, raising £22,000 for Sarcoma UK.

He died in 2023, aged 53.

The pair are undertaking the rally in a restored 1972 Lancia Fulvia

Spindle cell sarcoma accounts for six out of every 10,000 cancer diagnoses in the UK.

Kerry Reeves-Kneip, Sarcoma UK's director of fundraising and communications, said: "This challenge embodies Charlie's adventurous spirit and positive outlook that inspired all who knew him, while raising crucial funds for Sarcoma UK to advance research into rare cancers that claim too many lives too soon."

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