New motor racing heritage train for Bexhill?

Bexhill Chamber of Commerce said the move would generate increased tourism.

Sue Spice, spokesman for the organisation, said: "Britain has a motoring heritage and history that is the envy of the world and still today the UK motor sport industry contributes some 6billion every year to our country's economy.

"Bexhill is the birthplace of British motor racing and it happened right here in May 1902."

The town was chosen as the venue for Leon Serpollet to attempt to beat his own World Speed Record that he had set a few weeks before in Nice in his "Easter Egg" car.

Bexhill had the first International Motor Race Meeting in Britain and was chosen because of its proximity to Newhaven and Dieppe, so it was easily accessible to drivers from the continent.

Sue said: "Bexhill seafront was Earl De La Warr's private road, and was not subject to the 12mph speed limit in force on the highways of Britain."

There is already a photographic gallery at the Mermaid at The Sackville and at the Cooden Beach Hotel charting the history of motor racing in Bexhill.

Bexhill Museum also has a Motoring Heritage Gallery with cars on display including a replica of Serpollet's Easter Egg Race Car.

Sue said: "We are proposing the creation of a Motoring Heritage Trail, along the seafront, perhaps also in the town taking in the places of interest.

"The trail would start and/or finish at the museum. It will need signage, a website, leaflets and lots of marketing.

"It will be helpful for many of our traders, as we need to bring more people to the town and it will be a year-round attraction, not simply a one off event.

"We can involve our own school children in designing the trail. We will be applying for lottery funding and we will be using our own funding.

"Plans are still in the very early stages, and we are fortunate to have Chamber members who have extensive knowledge of our motoring heritage.

"For the next two years Bexhill Chamber of Commerce will be putting most of its budget and effort into the creation and installation of a Motoring Heritage Trail."

She said she hoped the project would be up and running by next spring.