KARTING enthusiasts were in top gear to grab victory at a rival track.

A five-strong team from the Top Gear indoor karting centre in Durham emerged triumphant after a gruelling two-and-a-half hour distance test at the weekend.

Driving in stints of a quarter-of-an-hour per person, the Top Gear quintet completed 116 laps of the Karting North-East circuit at Warden Law, near Houghton-le-Spring on Wearside.

It was enough to comfortably beat the challenge of eleven competitors in the former quarry site.

The victory earns them a place in the grand final of the Karting Endurance Challenge at Bradford in January, and five VIP tickets for the Peugeot Motorsports British Touring Car Championship Challenge.

But everyone was a winner at the regional heat, staged on behalf of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.

The event has already raised £3,500 for the cancer care charity but the final tally is expected to top the £5,000 mark when all sponsorship pledges are collected.

Carol Oliver, Marie Curie community fundraising manager in County Durham, North Teesside, Sunderland and South Tyneside, said: "It's been absolutely brilliant. I think everyone has enjoyed a tremendous afternoon.

"The charity has staged it elsewhere previously but it's the first time we've tried it in this area and we've been delighted at the response."

Carol thanked the competitors and Karting North-East, which offered Marie Curie use of the track for half the usual fee.