A UNIQUE wheelchair race returned to the region yesterday with 18 racers speeding through the Tyne Tunnel.

Tunnel 2K had a list of internationals, including 11 times paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Canadian paralympian and six times 1500m world champion, Jeff Adams.

The two-kilometre course starts at the Tunnel's southern entrance with a 100m sprint into the underground section.

Within seconds, muscle power takes the Olympic standard, racing chairs smashing through the Tunnel's 30mph speed limit.

The course speed record of 47.2mph was set in 1996.

Then it's a bicep-burning one kilometre uphill into the daylight and the finish line.

Australian 800m record holder Eliza Stankovic, 24, won the women's event, with Britain's Shelly Woods in second and Dame Tanni finishing third.

Ms Stankovic said: "I just like going fast - and this race is a speed guarantee."

Canadian Jeff Adams won the men's first place, but Tushar Patel grabbed yesterday's fastest course speed of 41.4mph.

2012 Olympic hopeful Sarah Loughran, from Stockton, joined the 18 athletes.

Sarah holds the junior records for the 100m, 200m and 400m for her classification and is looking to compete in Beijing in 2008 and then London in 2012. She recorded a time of 9m 32secs during the race, which had a £2,000 top prize.

Organiser David Burdus, 44, who originally only planned for the race to take part in 1993, 1994 and 1995, said: "It was a fantastic turn-out and an exhilarating race for the athletes and spectators."