A REIGNING British hill climb champion and a motorcycle-racing television star have put the peddle to the metal at an iconic venue near Great Witley.

Champion Scott Moran, of Ludlow, was on-hand to offer advice and instruction when record-breaking television celebrity Guy Martin filmed an introduction to speed hill climbing for his new series at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb.

Mr Martin is best known for racing motorcycles at the Isle of Man TT Race and used an Empire Wraith single seater racing car to film the Channel Four programme Speed with Guy Martin.

He said: "This is a whole lot of car for not a lot of road, the track is very narrow and the car goes so quick that I had to concentrate really hard just to keep it on course. The acceleration and handling is simply amazing."

The Empire Wraith is lightweight and boasts Formula 1-inspired aerodynamics and is powered by a 1,000cc motorcycle engine which propels it from zero to 60 mph in about two seconds.

Mr Moran said: "Guy is a very well known racer and is also a renowned engineer and he asked all the right questions, being very interested and keen to learn about both the car and the sport of hill climbing.

"He also seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself throughout the day by taking a total of 17 runs up the course in the car."

Channel Four producer Graham Smiles added: "This is one of a series of programmes on speed that we are filming with Guy and Shelsley Walsh is the best place in the country to showcase hill climbing at its best."