Fastest milkfloat in the west

A dairy worker is aiming to cream his competitors and get his milk float up to 71.5mph to break a world record. Kevin Bourne, of Leicester, hopes his float, Electric Blue, will smash the land speed record for milk floats, which stands at 71.4mph, next month.

The vehicle boasts twice the battery power of an average float, a lowered suspension and a detachable fin on its roof to combat turbulence.

It is now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester.

Mr Bourne, 54, is hoping to show that it does not take expensive technology to run fast electric vehicles and reduce pollution.

"Everyone has a stock impression of milk floats travelling at 10mph, so you don't expect to see one accelerate to 80mph," he said. "Actually any electric vehicle can reach high speeds, so there's a lot of potential for them as all forms of transport in the future. Just imagine the amount of diesel engines which could come off the road if they were replaced with electric. This float is 40 years old, but with a bit of tweaking you can floor it and it will hit 80mph in 30 seconds."

The float is on display at the museum as part of its transport festival, which also includes record-breaking speedboats, motorbike demonstrations and a vintage car rally.