It's a sport you would be more expecting to find in Siberia than Suffolk.

But the weekend saw husky dog owners from around the country taking part in a British Champion race, hosted by the British Siberian Husky Racing Association (BSHRA), at Thetford Forest.

Race organiser Brian Collins, whose family owns 14 husky dogs, said there were more than 130 entries, with about 600 dogs racing at two-minute intervals.

Mr Collins, from Bury St Edmunds, said teams came from all corners of the United Kingdom.

Speaking after the first day, he said: 'It's gone superbly. We had some really close races.'

He added: 'This is where people come to compete against the best in the country.'

Mr Collins, his wife Julie and daughter Tyler were all competing at the weekend.

He said: 'We have had huskies for about 20 years. We just got one as a pet and we just sort of moved on.'

He said it was a 'big step' from having a pet dog to training and racing one.

The husky racers have become a fixture at Thetford Forest in the last few years, with the BSHRA making it a fixture in its calendar.