A group of British racing nuts are hoping to break a world record by travelling at over 100mph (161km/h) on this lawn mower. They plan to set the record in Britain too, on Pendine Sands in South Wales.

The current was set by the American Bob Cleveland. He reached over 80mph (129km/h) in 2006.

The new record attempt will be led by Stephen Vokins, the team principal of Project Runningblade. It was when he was recovering from heart surgery that he made up his mind to do something spectacular with his life.

“Climbing Everest is too much like hard work,” says Stephen, “but taking Bob Cleveland’s record for Britain is mad, bad, and slightly dangerous – in other words, perfect!”
The team’s Countax lawn mower will still have to be able to cut grass, and engineers will face many challenges during the project.

The driver will be Don Wales, whose family has a history of setting water and land speed records. He was the driver of the British Steam Car, which set the world record for a steam-powered vehicle in August.

DID YOU KNOW?
Don Wales’ grandfather, Sir Malcolm Campbell, and his uncle, Donald Campbell, broke more than 20 world land and water speed records. Donald sadly died in 1967 while trying to set a new speed record on Coniston Water in the Lake District.