DAREDEVIL Vicki Boddy, who was bidding to break the blindfold motorcycle speed record this week, has been stopped in her tracks.

Organisers of the charity event, due to take place at the disused Elvington airfield in Yorkshire yesterday and today, put the brakes on Vicki after she complained about lack of practice facilities at a test day earlier this month.

Without the promised racing machinery and no allocated track time Vicki, 34, was only able to squeeze in three laps on a borrowed bike at the end of the day-long session held at the Donington race circuit in Derbyshire.

Vicki, a mother of two and part-time PA to legendary motorcyclist Sammy Miller at his museum near New Milton, raised her concerns in a letter to record attempt organisers seeking assurances over bikes, safety and media issues.

But in an e-mail response just a week before the record attempt, organisers Record Breakers announced they were excluding her from taking part - and raising money for the British Blind Sport charity.

Vicki who had to raise £1,200 in sponsorship to take part said: "I was really up for it and lots of people have been very kind and supportive."

"I am very disappointed that I am not going to be doing the record attempt now, but I think I am well out of it."

She added: "I was extremely disappointed with the test day and felt I had wasted a good deal of my time and money."

"I was concerned they would not be getting the bikes, there would be safety issues, and the sponsors would not be getting good media coverage."

Record Breakers have promised to refund Vicky's £1,200 - of which only £400 was destined for the charity - and she will return the money to her sponsors.

"The whole thing has been a nightmare," she said.

A spokesman for Record Breakers said: "We don't want to cause any hard feelings. We got the impression Vicki wasn't making the most of it and I don't think she saw the positives so we just called it a day."

More than 20 bikers, including former Poole speedway rider Pete Swain, 74, are taking the blindfold challenge.

First published: Sept 30