Car bought and driven to Bristol 'for less than train ticket'

A man bought a car, taxed and insured it and drove from London to Bristol - all for less than a return train fare.

Tom Church, 27, made the journey in an £80 Honda Civic. Including tax and petrol he spent £206.81 on the trip.

Mr Church, from Crouch End, said he was inspired after discovering an anytime return ticket between London and Bristol could cost up to £218.10.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said Mr Church would have saved time and money if he had waited an hour for off-peak.

Advance tickets from London to Bristol can be bought from £8, a spokesman for GWR, said.

Mr Church, co-founder of money saving website LatestDeals.co.uk, said he found a car being sold for scrap metal online.

He had to wait two weeks before making the trip while sorting out car tax and finalising his plans.

Mr Church said: "Buying a car for one trip was still expensive. It was stupid. But not as stupid as spending even more on just one train ticket.

"When I got back from Bristol, I still had the car. I'll probably sell it on again and may even make a profit from it!"

Mr Church said he would not recommend others follow his example.

Traffic meant his drive to Bristol took 3hrs 30m, while the train takes 1hr 45m.

A spokesman for GWR said: "For the time taken to buy a car, collect, insure it and to drive the 340-mile round trip, Tom could have waited an hour and bought an off peak return; allowing him more time with his friends and saving himself well over £125.

"That's real bargain hunting."