Around 30 volunteer club members turned up to the second of a series of working parties held at Loton Park Speed Hill Climb to prepare the venue for the new season.

Tasks included the repair and preparation of the signage around the course, together with maintenance work to the many tyre walls which form some of the track safety barriers and general tidying of the seating and grounds which lie in the village of Alberbury, near Shrewsbury,

Groundwork has begun following demolition of the old stewards hut, a former construction site building dating back to 1970, which will be replaced by a new version to be called ‘Trimbles’ in memory of the late Max Trimble, an original club stalwart and recent club president.

Martyn Silcox, secretary of event organisers Hagley Car club, said: “This promises to be yet another very competitive season with several exciting new driver and car combinations appearing for the very first time.

“As a goodwill gesture the club has decided to offer free admission to spectators for the first event on Easter Day, Sunday, April 1, so we hope that lots of people will come along and see the wide variety of classic, sports, saloon and racing cars that compete at what is Shropshire’s very picturesque and premier motor sport venue.”

One of the volunteers attending was former British Champion Alex Summers, of Tenbury Wells, who added: “Loton Park is looking in really great shape and with the course having been completely resurfaced last year we can expect much faster times and new records galore this season as the track has now bedded in.”

Further details on Loton Park Hill Climb can be found at www.hdlcc.com