DARWEN’S finest are gearing up for an usual challenge - a pedal car grand prix.

Organised by the town council and Coun Phil Jones, with funding from Capita and the WEC Group, the event will include teams from the local police force, fire service, scouts and businesses.

Some entrants are building their own pedal cars from recycled materials. Vehicles must be four-wheeled single seaters, no wider than 1.25m and longer than 2m. The winner will be the team that completes the most number of laps in the allocated time.

Blackburn with Darwen Council deputy leader and Darwen town councillor Tony Melia said the town authority had bought some for those who haven’t had the time.

On Wednesday, they handed over the first pedal car to the Darwen Neighbourhood Policing Team, who took it for a trial run.

He said: “So far we have 12, possibly 14 and maybe even 16 teams. There will be teams of five, with one giving a push start and the other four drivers doing relay-style stints.

“It should be a really good event for the town.”

The course starts and finishes outside the NatWest Bank in Market Street and goes past the bus station, the market and along Duckworth Street.

The race is on July 11, starting at 11am and lasting for two to three hours, finishing in time for the World Cup final.

There will be hay or tyre barriers at the race, which is based on similar events in the South which can attract 15,000 spectators. It was put forward after Coun Phil Jones saw the Great Harwood pram race.

Community beat manager PC Simon Harwood is ‘managing’ the police team. He said: “I’ve got a team of six and haven’t decided yet who will make it. I will have to check their fitness levels first!

“It is a great chance to put Darwen on the map and have fun as a community.

“All officers are doing this in their own time and we are going to give the other teams a run for their money.

“We will deal with any speeding pedal cars and anyone who overtakes the police will be in trouble.”