JOURNALISTS put down their pens and got behind the wheel for a Top Gear-style challenge that saw them race to a spectacular finish in Southampton.

Four journalists representing the leading truck trade media put Volvo truck and trailer combinations to the test, driving more than 700 miles from Scotland.

Nigel Hanwell, from Volvo Trucks, said: “The idea behind the challenge was to put our latest models to the test by taking them along the entire ‘backbone’ of the UK.

“Southampton was the perfect finish line for our journalists, who were then able to quickly jump onto other forms of transport and get back home for some welldeserved rest after three days on the road.”

Clive Thomas, port manager, added: “It was quite a spectacle seeing these four similar vehicles coming in all together. The truck geeks among us from Scotland were in our element.”