Last year most of Tony Shute's Lotus 69 Formula Ford could be found as parts in eleven boxes.

Eastern Daily Press: Tony Shute with his Lotus 69 formula ford car. He rebuilt the car after transporting it back from Germany in banana boxes and is now a champion hill climb racer.Tony Shute with his Lotus 69 formula ford car. He rebuilt the car after transporting it back from Germany in banana boxes and is now a champion hill climb racer.

After travelling to Germany to pick up the parts and spending more than 600 hours building it, the car earned him a national title in hillclimb racing.

Mr Shute, who lives in Fen Street, Old Buckenham, said building a car from scratch and then racing it was on his bucket list.

But he did not expect the car, which was first built in 1971, to make him the Paul Matty Sportscars Lotus Hillclimb champion.

The 65-year-old, who worked for Lotus for 25 years, said: 'The car has proven to be much more competitive than I thought.

Eastern Daily Press: Tony Shute with his Lotus 69 formula ford car. He rebuilt the car after transporting it back from Germany in banana boxes and is now a champion hill climb racer.Tony Shute with his Lotus 69 formula ford car. He rebuilt the car after transporting it back from Germany in banana boxes and is now a champion hill climb racer.

'It was the first time I had run the car and I won the overall championship.

'It was great to win as I have been doing the championship for 16 years in different cars.

'It is like a giant Go-kart and is a fantastic car to drive.'

Mr Shute won the championship over ten races which take place at circuits and stately homes across the country and sees cars compete against the clock to see who can complete a single lap the fastest.

'Anybody can compete and it is growing because it is a lot more accessible than other forms of racing,' said Mr Shute.

'I compete because I have been around cars all my life and it is a real skill to be quick. It is real fun and it is good socially.'