Young riders and parents at Norwich New Stars Youth Grasstrack Club are hoping to see their club hit new heights this weekend when they host their latest race meeting.

The club was established in its current form in 1998 by former Norwich Stars speedway rider Derek Hewett, whose family still own the land at Frettenham where the club is based, just north of Norwich.

The club's former members include King's Lynn Stars riders Robert Lambert and Ryan Kinsley, with grasstrack seen as an ideal way for aspiring speedway riders to begin learning their trade.

The club believe they are the only youth grasstrack club in the country, with over 40 members between the ages of six and 18, and have been going through some off-track changes this year.

Secretary and treasurer, Claire Sutton, said: 'We have two or three meetings a year but now we are being run by a committee and are signed up to the ACU (Auto-Cycle Union), which is the governing body of motorsport, so this is our first show since that.'

The meeting is being held this Sunday, with practice starting at midday and the first race scheduled for 12.30pm. The race meeting will feature five heats, with free admission, catering and camping available.

Sutton is hopeful of a fun weekend which will help the club to keep expanding, continuing: 'We do training as well when kids can come along and try out a bike and try the sport without buying body armour, goggles and the bikes and everything, you can give it a go before buying any of that stuff.

'That is helpful because people don't always know what to buy because you have to have the right bike for the right age of child.'

Just how does the sport compare to speedway though? Sutton says the biggest difference tends to be a bumpier track, with suspension and brakes allowed, unlike on speedway bikes, and a softer landing if you come off the bike.

'Children don't have much fear, dads are not too bad, it's the mums who worry,' Sutton added, 'But we have very structured training sessions before the kids are allowed to race.

'It's 10 yards and stop, 20 yards and stop, those sort of things before they can go on the track or anything.'

For more information about the meeting or the club, contact Claire Sutton on 01263 587626 or norwichnewstars1998@hotmail.co.uk, visit norwichnewstars.co.uk or search for the club on Facebook.

Are you establishing a new sports project? Contact reporter David Freezer on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk