A SEVEN-year-old boy racer has surpassed expectations in his first national race after support from a Wroughton race track and nearby estate agent.

Eddie Stewart, aged seven, who starting racing at Swindon Karting on Wroughton Airfield, recently entered his first national race - the BKC Grand Prix held at Whilton Mill in Northamptonshire with 20 other children.

After coming a respectable tenth place Eddie said: “I’m proud of myself as I beat lots of really fast kids, it was really good fun overtaking loads of karts and driving in the dark with the floodlights on!

"I love karting because I get to drive fast like Lewis Hamilton, and win lots of trophies!”

The speedy young man almost missed the opportunity after parents Laura and Mark, from Chippenham, put an order in for a specialist Bambino go-kart, which didn't turn up after the suppliers stopped trading.

“It was devastating for Eddie, and for us, " said mum Laura, "so we began to look for sponsorship towards another kart."

“I’d worked with Richard James Estate Agents in the Wroughton office in the past and I approached the manager there, to see if they could help.

“Ross was really impressed with how well Eddie was performing, and thought he deserved a break, and agreed to support Eddie by helping to buy some new kit.

"We’re so grateful that Eddie is back able to do what he loves. He lives and breathes motorsport, and the fact that someone has stepped in to help him out like this is fantastic.”

Ross said and he and his colleagues were delighted with Eddie’s performance.

“We were really pleased to be able to support Eddie,” he said.

“Eddie was showing real promise, so were pleased to be able to help him maintain that upward trajectory.”