Three Debenham High School students have qualified for the British Schools Karting Championship National Finals, in Milton Keynes, this Sunday.

Charlie Machin, Harvey Keeble and Matty Fayers secured second place of 16 in the BSKC Regional Finals (East of England district), topping teams from Hartismere, Copleston and Stowupland High Schools.

Charlie won one of his races with Harvey completing both of his in second place, while Matty drove his way to respectable second and third-placed finishes at the event.

Daytona, the outdoor karting centre in Milton Keynes, is the venue for the national racing event, and is renowned for being one of the leading and most challenging circuits in the country.

The talented trio are to race as a team – each driver completing two races each – just as in the Regional Finals.

Charlie, 13, has been karting on and off for five years and said: “It’s very exciting, and I feel very proud.”

He is looking forward to competing at the same site where Formula One sensation, Lewis Hamilton, his inspiration, used to race.

Matty and Harvey are both in their last year of school and go karting about twice a month.

No Debenham High School pupil has got further than the semi-finals of this competition.

Debenham High School teacher, Victoria Sandall said: “It’s (the karting club) an after-school activity, not something that we do in our PE lessons.

“We’ve had a link with the Anglian Karting Club, in Ipswich, for the last two years.

“Last year our boys got to the Eastern Regional finals where we earned fourth place, but we missed out on the final by one place.

“This year they have reduced the number of entrants to the finals so there are only two this year, and we got second place.

“I am delighted at what the club has achieved and we are really proud of them.

“Of course we have no idea how good the other teams are but we want to go (to Milton Keynes) to win it.

“The progress the club has made you would expect from a place like Ipswich, but not a little village like Debenham.”