Four rugby coaches will take on the Red Bull Soap Box Race when it comes to north London this weekend.

Desmond McCarthy, Shaun Fabian, Phil Aspinall and Adi Heesom were chosen from thousands of entrants to compete in the famous daredevil competition at Alexandra Palace.

The men, all fathers who coach at Barnet RFC in High Barnet, have spent the past few weeks organising the construction of their £2,500 go-kart, built to look like a rugby scrum.

Shaun, in his fifties, is the unlucky member of the team who will race in the vehicle, which is likely to reach speeds of up to 30mph as it hurtles down the track over numerous obstacles including ramps and stairs.

The team had the fibreglass frame of the kart made in Royston and bought various other materials and parts online before calling on expert friends to weld it together.

The team has raised all its money for the attempt through sponsorship, largely from Saracens Rugby Club, which donated £1,000, and Hunter’s estate agents, which contributed £500.

Any extra cash will go to Barnet RFC’s ‘mini’s section’, which caters for under tens and elevens, and the team is aiming to raise £4,500 minus the cost of the kart.

Former Saracen’s player Kyran Bracken, whose children play at Barnet RFC, met the team when the kart travelled to Allianz Park on Saturday.

Desmond, 39, said: “We couldn’t believe it when we were selected to race - it is such a big event. None of us have done anything like this before.

“We’re very much looking forward to it. It is a strange competition – something a little different and there are plenty of crashes so it’s pretty serious.

“We’re just hoping to raise as much money as we can for the club and want to thank our sponsors.”

The race, on the morning of Sunday, July 14, will be televised on Dave at 4pm later that day.

To sponsor the team, visit their fundraising webpage at www.justgiving.com/doesmyscrumlookbiginthis