A 12-year-old leopard will earn its spots this weekend when it stalks roads across Europe for charity. The big cat is more accurately a big car; a 1994 L registered Citroen ZX which has been made over as a Leopard complete with spots, nose, tail and ears.

A 12-year-old leopard will earn its spots this weekend when it stalks roads across Europe for charity.

The big cat is more accurately a big car; a 1994 L registered Citroen ZX which has been made over as a Leopard complete with spots, nose, tail and ears.

The vehicle cost less than £100 and it currently has in excess of 110,000 miles on the clock.

It will be driven in the Home2Rome banger rally, from Calais to Rome, by a team made up of Angus Foster, from Sandy, Pete Leverton, from Stevenage, and Mathew Johnson, from Surrey, collectively known as Find Us By The Wayside.

They hope to raise funds for the Garden House Hospice, in Gillison Close, Letchworth GC, and according to their fundraising website www.justgiving.com/findusbythewayside the three men have managed to raise £30 more than their £800 fundraising target already.

Mr Foster said: "It's all about having fun, enjoying ourselves, and raising money for a really worthwhile cause."

l Another donation made to the Garden House Hospice came after organisers of a charity ball raised in excess of £1,000.

The ball, organised by Rena Niles and Alessandra Marabese on behalf of the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club, was a black tie event held at the Broadway Hotel in Letchworth GC on Friday.

It included a three-course meal, a raffle, disco and a jazz pianist.

l A second donation has been made by Gerry McGrath, the licensee at the Poacher pub in Bedwell Crescent, Stevenage.

A cheque for £1,000 was presented to Jenny Lupton, general manager of the hospice, by Mr McGrath after the money was raised by staff and regulars during the pub's 50th anniversary celebrations.