IT'S not an idea that had even crossed my mind before; Ormskirk's one-way system as a motorsport venue.

I have, in my time as a reporter for The Ormskirk Champion, done many “laps” of this unlikeliest of circuits, being as it is the string of streets which link the various bits of the West Lancashire market town with one another. At rush hour on a busy Friday, it couldn't be further from the high octane world of historic motorsport.

Yet it's been a year since I had the phone call from one of the town's councillors, who rang to let me know of exciting plans to close the roads off and unleash some of motorsport's most mouthwatering machines on them, with the full blessing of the local council. Plans that became the first ever Ormskirk Motorfest.

Since then I've closely followed Aintree Circuit Club and the work that's gone behind the scenes to put this full-throttle spectacular together, and I've been amazed every step of the way. I've been impressed by the organisation that's gone onto it from both the club and from West Lancashire Borough Council, and by the support it's had from businesses based both in and around West Lancashire. I've been stunned by the response it's had so far from the north west's petrolheads, whether they prefer being on two wheels or four.

Most of all, i've been stunned by some machinery that's been promised for the event - I've seen the entry list, and it reads like an anthology of motoring's greatest hits. There's everything from a 1915 Model T Ford to the fearsome 2002 Ferrari Enzo, and just about every car, bike and racing machine in between.

The best bit is, the people of Ormskirk seem to agree, or at least the ones shopping at the town's market did when West Lancashire town crier Don Evans did his bit to promote the event with a rather loud speech last Thursday. Even though some escaped inmate kept repeatedly asking me if I worked for The Ormskirk Advertiser throughout the speech (sorry about that) I've managed to record the best bits, which you can listen to yourself by clicking the link below. You could just sort of sense the excitement people had about the event.

I'd never thought of Ormskirk as being West Lancashire's answer to Monaco or Spa, but I'm glad someone's had the idea. Then again, I would say that, because I'm one of its 250 entrants.

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