Engineers at Prodrive - more used to tuning Subaru cars to world rally standards - are turning their speed skills to soapbox racing.

The Banbury-based firm has entered a cart in the Goodwood Soapbox Race at this year's Festival of Speed in July.

The Prodrive team is the current holder of the fastest downhill time for soap carts at Goodwood and is looking to retain the title in this year's competition.

Technical staff have spent many hours ensuring their soapbox design complies with new regulations.

The result is a streamlined glass fibre body with front and rear roll-bars and a collapsible steering column.

Cart chief engineer Ben Waterhouse, a graduate trainee at Prodrive, said: "This year's cart is lower to the ground, 30kg lighter, and 250mm longer - which should make it a very fast machine."

The most challenging part of the race is a sweeping 90-degree corner which the carts take at about 65mph.