Once upon a time in Lincolnshire

Every other Sunday from October to March, a sandy stretch of Lincolnshire coast plays host to one of the most unique racing events in the country. On these select winter mornings, Mablethorpe Beach transforms into a hotbed of activity as people and their motorbikes begin to filter onto the sand.

Against the backdrop of a forgotten seaside resort, the air explodes with the roar of engines as riders make their way to the start line. Overhead, storm clouds hover, threatening rain — but no one seems to bat an eyelid. At the marshal’s signal, the rope drops and the bikes lurch forward, kicking up a wave of sand as they shoot into the distance.

Mablethorpe Sand Race began in 1970 after a group of friends came up with the idea one night in the pub. “We wanted an activity during winter so we had the idea of a beach race,” says Chairman Neil Tuxworth, one of the club’s founders. “Seventeen people attended the first meeting, but as word began to spread,