A FRANTIC police chase will take place on the streets of Ringwood this summer.

Blue lights blazing and sirens wailing, the bobbies will be giving their all to catch a whole host of red-faced drivers intent on going as fast as humanly possible around the town centre on the afternoon of Sunday, July 11.

It’s unlikely that many of the drivers will be breaking the 30mph limit though, because they will be attempting to thrust their way to the front of the Pedal Car Grand Prix and there’s a limit to human endurance in a hot and sweaty two-hour race.

Race director Jim Stride said so far 50 of the 54 places on the grid had been booked.

He welcomed the police team saying: “They’re number 999.

“Our numbers go from one to 54. Their car is number nine but I’ve given them special race director’s dispensation to put the extra two nines on their car.”

PC Keith Waller of Ringwood Safer Neighbourhoods team is behind the police pedal car project and is taking the competition very seriously, using a bicycle on his beat to get the miles in.

His idea was to treat it as a community scheme.

He got the chassis built locally and technology students at Ringwood School have designed, and are about to build, the bodywork, which will be decked out in full Hampshire Police colours.

His fellow pedallers and pit crew are: PCSO Sam Knight, school technology head Julian Tomkins, PE cover supervisor Mark Izard, school site manager Sam Coombs and Year 12 student Oliver Kent.

PC Waller said: “I like to arrange a community project for the young people in Ringwood to get involved with each year.

“The Pedal Car Grand Prix is a fantastic local event which brings the community together.

“Getting the youngsters involved with it in this way has given them something positive to work on, through which they can learn new skills and work together as a team.

“It is something they can all be very proud of.”

Funding has come from Ringwood Pub Watch, Henderson Bearings and Ringwood Town Council, which has just agreed to grant £200.

Money raised by the team will benefit the school’s Jubilee Fund to refurbish the school hall.

The race, on closed roads, will begin at 2pm.