TENSIONS were high and crowds watched eagerly as mini electric radio controlled cars sped around a high-tech circuit.It was action stations as families soaked up the atmosphere at the grand opening of the £12,500 Coastal Model Car Racing Track in Suffolk.

By Amanda Cresswell

TENSIONS were high and crowds watched eagerly as mini electric radio controlled cars sped around a high-tech circuit.

It was action stations as families soaked up the atmosphere at the grand opening of the £12,500 Coastal Model Car Racing Track in Suffolk.

The official opening meeting at the Bourne Hill circuit at Wherstead on Sunday drew more than 100 enthusiasts and their families, including some from as far afield as High Wickham, South End, Norwich and Lowestoft.

It was the culmination of six years of hard work and fundraising from members of the Coastal Model Car Racing Club (CMCRC), which spans an age range from six to over 50's.

Club co-ordinator Barry Hughes, was delighted with the turnout.

He said: "It has been an absolutely fantastic day and the weather was good. It makes it all worthwhile. We had 77 racing today and normally have between 40 to 60 people."

The track – the only one of it's kind in Suffolk – is fitted with specialist equipment, which can measure lap times to the accuracy of a hundredth of a second.

Sponsors Gary Western of Galaxy Models and Hobbies in Ipswich and Jason Nicholls of Fork Rent performed the opening ceremony.

Suffolk's premier 1/10th electric radio controlled model car racing club, started in Felixstowe six years ago and moved to the Sports Stadium in Henley Road, Ipswich.

The club searched for new premises after they couldn't get permission to build a track and work began on the new track in February –shifting 400 tonnes of earth from the old nursery ski slope.

Race meetings take place on alternate Sundays 10 am to 4 pm where people of all ages and abilities are welcome.

Weblink: www.cmcrc.co.uk