'Father Ted' milk float in charity trip

A milk float used in Father Ted has begun a 40-day 800-mile charity drive around Ireland.

The vehicle left Eyre Square in Galway on Saturday as part of the annual Father Ted festival celebrations, which begin on February 29.

Bookmakers Paddy Power has sponsored the drive, and offered odds on the vehicle being pushed by politicians Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, and the float being nominated as Ireland's 2008 Eurovision entry.

Money raised will be donated to various Down's Syndrome charities.

The float appeared in the Father Ted episode 'Speed 3', where Father Dougal Maguire takes over the local milk round from sex-mad milkman Pat Mustard.