A newly launched series of cycle races has been given a boost after one of the golden girls of last summer's Olympic Games signed up to take part.

Double Olympic champion Laura Trott is set to take part in the next Elveden Estate Cycle Series race on May 11.

The day of racing sees cyclists from across East Anglia and as far as north-east Lincolnshire battle it out around a five kilometre closed-road ciruit around Elveden Estate.

Throughout the day, there are races for youngsters aged under 16, women and men.

Miss Trott, who won gold in both the team pursuit and omnium in the velodrome at London 2012, is set to ride both the women's race and one of the men's.

Organiser Ken Jolliffe said: 'It's fantastic and I really didn't expect to have an Olympic champion riding at one of my races. It's a real boost for the region and it will do a huge amount to raise the profile of the area and the cycle races.

'The whole point of Elveden Cycle Races was to get racing moving in this area. We haven't got one cycling-dedicated facility in this area and everyone has enjoyed it there so far.'

The races on May 11 will be the third in the series.

On April 6, some 200 riders took part in five different races on the day.

Lord Iveagh, owner of the Elveden Estate, who offered the circuit to British Cycling to use for the events, said: 'We are absolutely delighted to have a rider of this calibre at day three of the Elveden Cycle Series.

'The cycling circuit has gone down extremely well with the cycling community both far and wide and to attract Laura Trott is a real success.'