FRIENDS and family have waved policeman Steve Blackmore off on a wacky road trip to Africa in a double decker bus.

The Weymouth PC, also the bus's chief conductor, will be hoping the £2,000 Bristol VR bus lasts the course to cross Europe and arrive in one piece in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

The team of 11 travelling on the bus plan to raise more than £5,000 for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

Their farewell party was held at the Black Dog pub in Weymouth town centre with a raffle to raise some last-minute cash for the charity.

A street collection was also held on Weymouth Esplanade and visitors were given a chance to tour the unique vehicle.

The converted bus features a bar with a sunshine canopy and beer garden, speakers, toilets and a kitchen.

Its epic journey will come to an end after four and a half weeks, when it will be left in Addis Ababa to be used as a medical centre.

It will also be crammed full of essentials - including six boxes of medical supplies, dozens of football and rugby shirts, pens, pencils and exercise books.

Steve, 39, said: "It's been very hard work getting ready for the trip and I'm starting to get excited.

"I'll be looking forward to getting some sleep when we're on the bus."

Steve expects the toughest leg of the trip to be the drive through Sudan, where the team will face 300 miles of unpaved roads. Many businesses, services and friends have stepped in to help make Steve's journey possible.

Steve said: "My stepfather Jim Howard has done the vast majority of the work on the bus, whilst my mother Lucy has sorted out all the fabric and beds.

"I'm looking forward to taking family and friends to enjoy the experience and for support, while raising a lot of money for a very worthy cause."

For more information or to sponsor Steve and the team, see www.the38bus.co.uk.

Steve will also be posting a blog on the Dorset Echo website at dorsetecho.co.uk/features/blogs