Steve Hibberd, from Halfway drove his patched-up Toyota Auris with Subaru parts on the winter leg of a series of ‘Rustbox Rallies’. He’s drovehis banger, which he bought for a pound, from Leeds to Whitby, completing Top Gear style challenges along the way. He had already driven his ‘Toybaru’ 1300 miles round Scotland’s North Coast and has so far raised more than £825 for the BHF.
He is determined to give back to the charity that funded heart research that saved his life.
The 28-year-old was cycling home after a night out with friends in 2015 when he collided with a taxi that pulled out in front of him.
He was treated at the scene by paramedics who told him that he had suffered nothing worse than soft tissue injuries. However, while checking Steve over they became concerned that his heart was beating in an unusual way.
Steve was taken to the A&E at the Northern General Hospital to check if he had suffered a heart attack. However, when this was ruled out, he was discharged and referred to a cardiologist to investigate the irregular heart rhythm.
Steve said: “They did all kinds of tests. They came to the view that I had extra circuits in my heart that were causing the electrical signals that pump my heart to go to the wrong place.
“I had a procedure called an ablation where they tried to correct the abnormal heart rhythm by burning out these extra electrical pathways.
“That worked temporarily, but the irregular heart rhythm returned which showed that it was being caused by extra signals coming down the normal pathways. This couldn’t be cured with an ablation without significant risk, so I now take medication to slow my heart rate.”
Over a million people in the UK have a heart rhythm problem. But these conditions can be difficult to diagnose and are often picked up late – after they cause symptoms, complications, or have even proved fatal.
Grateful for the treatment and care he had received, Steve signed up to the Rustbox Rallies Series for the BHF.
After completing this latest leg he will be undertaking his greatest challenge so far in September 2025, driving 2000 miles from Sheffield to Lake Como via the Swiss Alps and through the Black Forest.
“I’d never worked on a car before signing up, so I was throwing myself in at the deep end,” said Steve. “I bought my car for £1 and went about turning it into a replica of a Subaru Impreza rally car. I sourced as many authentic parts as I could and then had a wrap-around added to the paintwork to complete the look.
"In building the car I got a lot of support from South Yorkshire Subaru, John Lamb Tuning, Derbyshire Towbars, N&P tyres, All Japanese Motors, and Mark at Revolution Rides who did the vinyl wrap. They all were so friendly and welcoming and helped show me the techniques needed to build the car despite having no prior experience.
“I wanted to make a proper road trip of the event, so I also converted it into a camper van. I took the rear seats out and fitted a foam mattress into the back. It turned out to be surprisingly comfortable to sleep in.”
Steve said: “I benefitted from the skill and expertise of a lot of doctors. I want to repay that by raising money for the BHF so that other people in the future can benefit from new discoveries.”
Caroline Carmichael, BHF Fundraising Manager for South Yorkshire, said she was happy to hear that Steve’s heart condition had been diagnosed was being managed well. She said: “The BHF is currently funding research to help identify people with heart rhythm disorders, and give them the best chance of living longer, healthier lives.
“That work is only possible because of the generosity of people like Steve who are making sure that this critical work can continue.”
People can make a donation to Steve’s fundraising online: justgiving.com/page/stephen-hibberd-rustboxrally2024