A CHRISTMAS fundraiser is relying on the goodwill of strangers to enable it to go ahead.

Brighton and Hove Scouts plan to tour the city with a lavishly decorated trailer playing Christmas songs and spreading cheer – but they need a car to tow it.

The group has taken over responsibility for the annual tour from the Rotary Club of Brighton after helping with the event for the past six years.

The trailer tour, which has been held for the past 30 years, travels through the Westdene, Nevill Road, Goldstone, Preston Drove, Surrenden Road, Portland Road, New Church Road and Patcham areas of Brighton and Hove between December 8 and 18, with volunteers collecting money for several Sussex charities.

In past years it has raised thousands for good causes, including more than £5,000 last year for the Martlets hospice in Hove, a charity which provides care and support to terminally ill people in Brighton, Hove and surrounding areas.

A further £5,000 was distributed between several other chosen charities.

David Simon, one of the Scouts’ explorer leaders, said the teenagers had been preparing for the collection and “everything else is ready”.

The group had a car prepared to pull the trailer but only recently discovered that, because the trailer was pulled at a low speed, the car towing it would need to be an automatic.

David said: “We found out the vehicle needed to pull the trailer has to be an automatic as it goes very slowly and a manual would burn out otherwise.

“We only found out a few days ago and so we are a bit stuffed.

“We could hire something, but this event leads to thousands of pounds going to charity and that would take away from the overall amount raised.

“So we thought maybe, with some Christmas spirit, we might be able to find something or somebody that could help us out in time.”

The event, which David said is sometimes called “Canned Carols” because of the collection tins carried by volunteers, is due to start on Sunday and so the Scout group have limited time to find a solution.

Brighton and Hove Scouts has members aged between 14 and 17 and aims to “actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society”.

If you or someone you know would be able to help the group with this request, email harry.bullmore@theargus.co.uk.