ThunderCats race along Southsea seafront

PEOPLE walking by the beach are used to seeing huge ships saunter past, rowing boats and yachts.

But inflatable boats zooming across the waves at 60mph is not something you often see on Southsea seafront.

The Tigers Childrens Motorcycle display Team in action on Castle Field Picture: Mick Young

placeholder image — The Tigers Childrens Motorcycle display Team in action on Castle Field Picture: Mick Young

Twenty-one four-metre inflatable boats competed around a circuit between South Parade Pier and Southsea Castle.

The ThunderCat Series took place all weekend and hundreds of people enjoyed the racing as they sat metres away from the action on the beach.

Josh Broadbent and Sebastian Watts flying high with We are Bulletproof's Marc Newton and Martin Pullen behind

Among them were couple Chris Atkins, 23, and Dawn Kingswood, 20.

Chris, from Fratton, said: ‘It’s really cool. We came for a walk and saw this and thought we would stop and have a look. It’s looks pretty fun.’

Dawn said: ‘I reckon it’s crazy! I just think it looks really scary.’

Meanwhile, there was a range of stalls at Castle Field, where a Formula One-style pit lane had been set up.

Joanna Fox and Ria Pandey in Galaxy Girls-Ahmad Tea low flying

There were performances from Tigers Motorcycle Display Team, which is a children’s motorcycle club that provides shows to the public including fire jumps, riding stunts and car jumps.

And the Portsmouth Warriors Cheerleading Squad delighted the crowds.

Tracey Armstrong, from ThunderCat Racing, which is based in Chandler’s Ford, said: ‘We travel around the UK.

‘We started in Bournemouth, then went to Fistral beach in Cornwall, and then Liverpool. Now we have come to Southsea. It’s great here. They are a great bunch of guys.’