Small wonders help market get Grand Prix year off to racing start

Racing fans keen to celebrate the start of this year's season were urged to head to Wakefield Market for its first Grand Prix Challenge on Saturday.

To mark the start of the 2010 Grand Prix season in Bahrain, the market hired a giant four- lane Scalextric – model car racing set and shoppers were invited to test their motoring skills on the huge course which was set up in the market hall.

As well as celebrating the start of the racing season, The Grand Prix Challenge also heralded the beginning of a campaign to boost the numbers of visitors to the market.

The event was the first in the Saturdays are Special campaign, being run by Wakefield Council and will see weekly events or specialist markets being held at the Markets Quarter on Union Street every Saturday.

Wakefield Council cabinet member Denise Jeffery said: "The Saturdays are Special campaign is not due to begin until April but the start of this year's Grand Prix season, with two British drivers in with a good chance of winning the championship, was too good an opportunity to let pass."

Future events will celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest, Easter and the World Cup.