A CAR that brings laughter and fun wherever it goes will be making another lengthy journey to support those living on the streets in Wrexham.

Having raised almost £8,000 for charities, including Pancreatic Action Now, it’s Monte Carlo or bust for driver Ian Glass and his car dubbed the Flying Tortoise.

This time, the 1953 Ford Popular will be raising awareness of the Community Care Hub, run by the Community Care Collaborative CIC and based at the Salvation Army building in Rhosddu.

Funding for the “one stop shop” for Wrexham rough sleepers, which enables them to access a wide range of services one the same day all under one roof, ends in March.

The hub, which is open every Friday, is there for homeless people so they can access advice and support around mental health, physical health, substance misuse, housing, benefits, domestic violence and probation services.

Service director Dewi Richards said the ethos behind the hub was to bring services to the people that need them.

Care co-ordinator Beth Hughes added that, although they hoped to fundraise with the Flying Tortoise in the future, this journey was about raising awareness of a vital service “that is making a difference”.

Looking for a local good cause to support, Ian decided on the service and the arrangement was confirmed by adding the slogan “WREXHAM STREETS TO WALK ON, NOT SLEEP” to the side of the car.

Ian and the Flying Tortoise touched down at the Salvation Army building on Friday so service-users could take a look inside and under the bonnet - and they were keen to do so.

Ian, of Llandyrnog, said: “It’s like this wherever we go, people love to come and have a look and sit inside. It is a happy car. It’s a car that brings happiness and laughter.”

After a good look at the car, Mike Rawlins and Luke Roberts told the Leader how important the “one stop shop” was to them - helping them access support.

Luke said: “I would be proper lost without it. It has helped me with so many things and hopefully it will help me get housed.”

Mike added: “It’s brilliant. They have everything here, you can come and see a dentist if you need to. You can even get your hair cut and have your nails done.”

The Flying Tortoise was not always in such good condition.

When Ian rescued it from a field in Denbigh it was “resplendent in two-tone green and rust” after spending years abandoned.

It was rescued and restored to take part in the Le Jog rally in December 2015. It was intended to be a one off for Ian, but when the little car came 38th out of 77 starters, the oldest car to finish, he realised it was capable of more.

Since then the car, powered by a 1172cc side-valve engine that gives just 30bhp and a top speed of 60mph, has finished the Monte Carlo Classique twice, travelling thousands of miles to raise a few smiles and thousands of pounds for charity.

Almost everything on the car is off the time, it has cable operated brakes, vacuum powered wipers and skinny cross-ply tyres. The only concession to modernity Ian has allowed is a sat-nav which he uses in place of the broken speedometer.

Now Ian, The Flying Tortoise, and navigator Ray Jones, who have a combined age of 204, will be taking on the Monte Carlo Classique again.

On Sunday, the car was driven 267 miles from North Wales to Glasgow and is all set to be waved off the ramp on Wednesday. The route will then take Ian and Ray through Dumfries, Harrogate, Dover, Calais, Valence, Barcelona and Oslo.

On Sunday morning, the cars will set off along Alpine passes before descending towards the Mediterranean and then to Monte Carlo where they will follow a section of the famous Grand Prix circuit before crossing the finishing ramp at the harbour’s edge.