New Pocketbike land speed record - 78mph

It WAS a day of smashed speed records at Elvington Airfield near York.

Motorcycle instructor Alec Tague, 39, broke the mini moto speed record on his miniature Italian bike when he took to the tarmac yesterday.

Alec reached a speed of 78mph on the bike - which has a seat only a foot off the ground - smashing the record of 63.8mph previously set by American David Myers.

Alec, of New Mills, Derbyshire, said: "I'm 5ft 10 so I've really got to squeeze on to the bike. It was good, but we've got a lot more work to do really, we can go faster."

Meanwhile, a 47-year-old estate agent broke the world speed record for driving a car blindfolded - on his practice run.

Cuan Ryan, who lives near Wantage, Oxfordshire, was one of two record-breakers to hit the runway as part of an event staged by independent organisation Record Breakers in aid of the charity British Blind Sport. Cuan and more than a dozen other drivers, who raised sponsorship in order to take part, were practising for the real event later this month, when they will attempt to break the record in a Formula One car.

Cuan, blindfolded and accompanied by an instructor who shouted directions, drove a Mercedes SLK V12 at 169mph, smashing the previous record of 144.7mph, set by blind driver Steve Cunningham.

Mr Ryan, who normally drives a classic Mini, said: "I have always been enthusiastic about speed so I thought I would give it a whirl. It was just straightforward good fun really."

Mike Callard, projects manager at Record Breakers, said: "You have to be a special kind of person to want to drive a Formula One car blindfolded."