Petrolhead fails world's fastest shed record bid

Britain has an illustrious history of setting, challenging, and sometimes breaking, speed records.

In the 1960s it was Donald Campbell who was going faster than any man on land had before, and on Friday it was Brian Cade who was attempting to set a new speed record of his own - building and driving the world's fastest shed.

The Oxfordshire-based builder had hoped to smash the current record by 16 mph (26km/h) and reach 130 mph (209km/h) in his wooden vehicle - named Ed the Shed.

But during Friday's record attempt at Elvington Airfield, in Yorkshire, Mr Cade and his shed only managed to achieve 96 mph before his clutch gave way.

Brian Cade said he had been inspired by the former BBC programme Record Breakers

Speaking ahead of the attempt he said the shed, which has a 4.5 litre V8 engine that can produce 360 break horsepower, would "hopefully have plenty of power to get it up to speed".

Mr Cade said he had been inspired to undergo the challenge by the former BBC programme Record Breakers.

"I'm a bit of a petrolhead, and the two together I just thought 'why not?', let's race the fastest shed," he told the BBC.

"People have said that I've taken it to far - it was just a fun idea as I'm getting towards retirement just to do something different."

Kevin Nicks and his shed still hold the record for the world's fastest

Before his record attempt, he said he had previously "only ever driven it in and out of the garage".

"What I'm expecting it to feel like is terrifying - you're very low down in there and 130 [mph] is double the UK speed limit - which is pretty fast," he said.

On what he was planning to do after the attempt, Mr Cade said: "Straight after, I'll be going back to the local pub and having a pint."

In failing to break the record, Mr Cade ensured that it remained with fellow Oxfordshire-based engineer, Kevin Nicks.

Ed the Shed has a 4.5 litre V8 engine and is based on a TVR

Following Friday's failed attempt, Mr Cade said he would be returning in a year's time to give the challenge another go

Alongside the shed itself, which is based on a TVR, Mr Cade has also written a book and created a cartoon character inspired by the Three Little Pigs tale.

In doing so, he is hoping to raise funds for the charity Reach, which provides support for children and young people with an upper limb difference.

Video Journalism by Chris Wood