HUNDREDS of people lined the shores of Lowestoft seafront as October opened with a bang.

The sun shone on Lowestoft as Thundercat powerboat racing roared into town for the first-ever time today (Saturday) - with the thrilling spectacle of high-speed inflatable powerboats hitting the seas off Claremont Pier.

With the 13-stage series culminating in Lowestoft, the two-man inflatable catamarans provided an exciting backdrop to the sun-drenched conditions as hundreds of people lined the promendade and bathed on the sand.

And with the crowds flocking to town, organisers from the Thundercat series said they were hopeful they would return to town in the future.

Waveney District Council has been working with organisers to bring this exciting event to Lowestoft for the past few months.

Hailing from South Africa, this high speed racing has become a global sport - and with the Lowestoft leg of the 2011 programme being the final race of the 13 stage series, the curtain is set to fall on this year's series in Lowestoft tomorrow.

Fiona Pascoe, from Thundercat Racing Ltd, said: 'It has all gone really well - we've had sun, sand and fantastic weather at an excellent venue, and we hope to make it an annual event on the town's calendar.'

• With racing from 10am to 3pm tomorrow (October 2), locals are being encouraged to turn out to seeing the racing for free - with the awards presentation at the conclusion of tomorrow's eight races.