Electric land speed record attempt fails

15/08/11

Sarah Tawton

A father and son team have been forced to abandon their bid to break the UK electric land speed record.

Don Wales and his son Joe were left disappointed after their car Bluebird suffered a mechanical glitch.

Mr Wales, 50, was hoping to break the 137mph barrier which he set in 2000, and reach a speed of 150mph.

But the electric-powered car was damaged after Joe, 19, veered off course at Pendine Sands in South Wales while making his own record attempt over a shorter distance.

The car's right front wheel upright sheered off, causing the suspension to fail and leaving the owners facing an unusual claim on their car insurance policy.

Bluebird came to a halt after its front right tyre sank into the sand, and was later winched on to a trailer.

The teenager was unhurt, and his father later said: "This is a severe knock to us but it's immaterial to us because Joe is fine and that was always my worry."

Don Wales is the grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, who broke the world land speed record nine times.