Ok this isn’t strictly about Lymington, and the end result will be accomplished hundreds of miles away on Pendine Sands in Wales. But when friends you know get involved in something as wonderfully ridiculous as this, you just have to tell people. This is about a bunch of people who truly will not let grass grow under their feet.

If you haven’t heard of Project RunningBlade then you may wonder whether it’s perhaps a new Ridley Scott sci-fi flick, or perhaps a Native Indian Olympic bid. But no. It’s an attempt to drive a lawnmower at over 100mph and is led by Stephen Vokins who is based at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. Most of the rest of the team is based in or around the Forest as well.

See the thing is there’s an American chappy who has already acheived 80mph, so it’s a matter of national pride that a Brit should go (a lot) faster. So on 22-23 May 2010 a fellow by the name of Don Wales will attempt to snatch the record for Britain. With Sir Malcolm Campbell as a grandfather and uncle Donald Campbell you’d not get long odds that there would be something compelling Don to go fast. As it happens he has previous and holds the UK record for electric cars and yes, it did cross my mind that maybe he should be going for the Flymo world land speed record instead. But a friend of mine has one of those cordless electric mowers and it barely does half his lawn, let alone a measured mile. And just think of the length of cable you’d have to use for a mains powered attempt! So petrol it is then.

At first it seems pretty straight forward. But alas dear reader there is a rub. It has to be able to cut grass as well. By as well, I don’t mean at the same time. Just on the same day. I am informed by Stephen that the blades don’t even have to be fixed on during the speed trial, which is a bit of a result for Don you’d have to think. Rotating or not, speeding along at three figures with scythes attached lends a whole new dimension to the phrase driving in a manner as to endanger life! But they do have to make a reasonable fist of cutting grass, although I’m guessing it doesn’t need to be suitable for playing a test match on.

All sorts of recognisable companies are sponsering the effort, and there is a Blog, a website and a Facebook page if you’re into that sort of thing. So there’s no excuse for not knowing about it any more. Is there.