A rider escaped serious injury when he came off his motorbike as he tried to reach break-neck speeds during racing trials.

David Hughes hit the road when his Suzuki SX100 skidded beneath him moments after he raced away from the starting line at this year's National Speed Trials.

Paramedics went to his aid as he lay on his back and his bike shot away from him on Madeira Drive in Brighton on Saturday.

He was winded but otherwise unharmed and was back on his feet after ten minutes.

Rescue crews took him to the Royal Sussex County Hospital as a precaution but he needed no further treatment.

Mr Hughes has taken part in the competition for the past 15 years.

Thousands of spectators watched this year's trials and the seafront reverberated with the sound of performance engines and the smell of burning rubber.

A total of 55 motorbikes and 200 cars took part in the event.

Tony Johnstone, clerk for the course, said the weather drew crowds of between 10,000 and 15,000 and made it the best trials since it started in 1905.

He said: "It was a record day for the public. With the weather, everyone came out."

Drivers raced one-by-one down the quarter-mile course, trying to get the fastest time.

The course record is 8.9 seconds, which has stood since 1993.

The fastest time of the day was achieved by Phil Cooke, from Wiltshire, who achieved 10.25 seconds in his Force PC car.