One man went to mow... and left the 80mph world speed record in tatters

A British lawnmower cut the world land speed record to ribbons with a trail blazing new top speed of more than 86mph.

The unique petrol driven mower raced into the record books in front of an ecstatic crowd at Pendine Sands, in west Wales.

Rider Don Wales smashed the previous 80.792mph lawnmower land speed record with an impressive 86.069mph.

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The jet-red sit-on machine began by giving a demonstration of its grass cutting ability to prove it qualified as a lawnmower. Challengers for the record must drive over a measured mile in one direction and return within an hour.

The record attempt using the motorised grass cutter also has to ensure it is built primarily from lawnmower parts.

Mr Wales went on to streak across the one-mile section at the seven-mile stretch of sand, proving that speed is in the blood.

His grandfather was Sir Malcolm Campbell, who broke the world land speed record, in a car, at the same historic venue in 1924. The Bluebird, the classic car he drove more than eight decades ago, was on show at the Welsh Museum of Speed at the site.

It may now be joined by a

lawnmower which could

itself eventually become something of an icon of speed.

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Clare Hansley-Boyd, a spokeswoman for the British team, said: "We are all very excited. It really looked like time was running short and we wouldn't make it and then it all came good." She said the mower

completed the measured

one-mile section and within another half-mile its drive belt broke.

Project Runningblade was dreamed up by the National Motor Museum (NMM) in Beaulieu, Hampshire, normally home to the Bluebird, to seize the record.

American Bob Cleveland, who set the previous land speed mark at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, had flown in from the US to witness his British challengers cut the new record.

The record attempt is also raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children and Wessex Heartbeat.

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