AN election candidate who missed out on a council seat hopes to beat political rivals into second place in a televised race.

Firefighter Ian Dixon stood for the Green Party in Hyndburn's Barnfield ward in last week's local elections but came in third with 545 votes.

Now he has a chance of revenge after being invited to take part in a car race staged by television motoring programme Top Gear.

The race was recorded earlier this month at Dunstard Aerodrome, near Godalming, Surrey, but Ian will have to wait until the programme is screened on Sunday, May 18 to find out whether he won the time trial driving a Rover MGZR 180.

Competitors included Conservative shadow defence secretary Bernard Jenkin who allegedly called firefighters "idiots" during a recent radio interview.

Other competitors represented the Labour Party, SDP, the Monster Raving Loony Party, and the Legalise Cannabis Alliance.

The car was fitted with a roll cage and sports seats and drivers had to wear crash helmets and be strapped in.

There were also cameras in the car but it wasn't enough for one driver who accompanied Ian on his circuit.

"He screamed for me to stop at one stage. I drove faster when he got out. I think I got up to 100 miles an hours in places. It was fantastic," said the Green Watch officer.

Each contestant raced separately against the clock, completing three laps.

"It's a time trial and they keep it a secret until the night," said Ian. "Someone was roughly timing all the drivers on a watch and he told me I was in second place behind the Tories."