Two Essex residents are about to take part in an endurance game to win a Toyota Land Cruiser

The bizarre televised contest has the simplest rules.

All the 20 contestants have to do is to touch a £40,000 vehicle - and the one still left standing at the end of the contest wins the vehicle.

Contestants include Pam Hardy, 44, from Witham, and Adam Georgiou, 31, from Woodford Green.

The show - surprisingly called Touch the Truck - was launched yesterday (Sunday) at the Lakeside Shopping Centre by host Dale Winton.

Contestants are entitled to one ten-minute toilet break every two hours and one 15-minute food break every six hours but will be eliminated if they fail to return within the allotted time.

Judges watch over them and when a contestant removes their palm they are eliminated from the game.

They are also allowed to distract each other to try and get their rivals to take their hands off the prize.

Each has appointed a friend to act as their "co-pilot" to support them and do what they can to keep them awake.

The show's idea comes from America where the competition is run by car dealerships.

The favourites to win are Jerry Middleton, 39, an eco-warrior from Winchester, who intends to sell the truck to start a political party, and Christopher Robinson, 38, an ex-marine from Aylesbury, who has experienced staying awake for more than fours days at a time during service with the Foreign Legion.

Other contestants include Mary Moore, 41, an insomniac from Bristol, and Jimmy Trott, 42, from Hull, who is homeless and wants the 4x4 for somewhere to live.

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