A NEW Year’s Day street racing tradition is planned to return to Windermere complete with time trials, chequered flags and chicanes.

But the vehicles involved in this race will barely get over 10mph and many of the drivers are unlikely to even have a licence.

Up until about 15 years ago people in the Lake District town marked the coming of the New Year with a fancy dress pram race around the town’s streets, with the main focus being on taking a “pit-stop” at the pubs and bars along the way.

However, next year Windermere and Ambleside Lions Club are planning to resurrect the tradition, but with more of a focus on the timing than imbibing.

South Lakeland District councillor Ben Berry, who is the event director, said the race would take the form of a series of time trials around a half mile circuit through the town, before the fastest competitors go head-to-head.

“It was something that used to happen when everyone went dressed in fancy dress and pushed each other around,” said Cllr Berry.

“But it was essentially a pub crawl and people drinking alcohol and running along the open roads with the traffic just isn’t going to happen, plus we want to develop an event that can involve children and people with disabilities.”

The proposed route for the race would begin outside Renoirs Coffee shop on Main Road, and head up High Street before circling back down Victoria Street to finish outside Cafe Italia.

Races are proposed to begin at mid-day to give people a chance for a New Year’s lie in with the only obligatory drinking being a challenge to stop and down soft drinks at the ‘pit-stop’ on Victoria Street.

The £20 entry fee will go to the Lions’ charity account and people will also be able to raise funds for other charities during the event.

“The community has got really behind it so far and we have had loads of people talking about it and sharing it on social media,”said Cllr Berry.

He said an application had been made to South Lakeland District Council to close the necessary roads and put diversions in place but he was confident it would get the go ahead.

More info can be found at www.windermerepramrace.co.uk