Bloodhound land speed world record bid back on track and driver from Hartlepool is raring to go

Bloodhound Programme Ltd, the firm behind the initiative to hit speeds of 1,000mph, went into administration last October.

It was saved from the scrapheap after British entrepreneur Ian Warhurst bought the business and assets for an undisclosed sum.

There has been a complete rebranding of the programme, now named Bloodhound Land Speed Record (LSR), and the team has been freshly assembled, which includes driver and current world land speed record holder Andy Green, from Hartlepool.

They will focus on completing development of the jet and rocket-powered car and moving to the next phase of high-speed testing as soon as possible.

The car now has red and white livery and has moved into her new home at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College (UTC) on the Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park.

Andy, a former pupil at High Tunstall School, said he is looking forward to 'letting Bloodhound off its leash to see what it can do'.

He added: "The great thing is that we are going to get this car running and get it running as soon as we can.

"As soon as we can get all the paperwork sorted out to go to South Africa, we can get this car ready to do its high-speed jet-powered testing. We're off to do some high-speed running and we are excited about that."

Mr Warhurst, chief executive of Grafton LSR Ltd, said: "Since buying Bloodhound from the administrators last December, the team and I have been overwhelmed by the passion and enthusiasm the public have shown for the project.

"Over the last decade, an incredible amount of hard graft has been invested in the project and it would be a tragedy to see it go to waste.

"Starting with a clean slate, it's my ambition to let Bloodhound off the leash to see just how fast this car can go.

"I've been reviewing the project and I'm confident there is a commercial business proposition to support it.

"I'll provide robust financing to ensure there is cash-flow to hit the high-speed testing deadlines we set ourselves."

Mr Warhurst is heading the Bloodhound LSR team.

Current world land speed record holder Andy Green will continue to be the driver of the car.

Many of Bloodhound's original mechanics and technicians will also work on the project.

Dates for the high-speed test runs and the world land speed record runs will be announced once operational and logistics planning is finished.

The target is to first break the world land speed record of 763.035mph before aiming for the maximum design speed of around 1,000mph.

The car's current red and white livery is likely to change through sponsorship.