A REPLICA of the jet rocket car set to attempt a 1,000mph run in South Africa wowed youngsters visiting a Poole manufacturing firm.

AISH Technologies hosted the life-size replica at its Broom Road offices on Thursday, at an event attended by schoolchildren, business leaders and civic dignitaries.

Pupils from The Epiphany School, Muscliff, Bournemouth, were joined by Poole Mayor Cllr Ann Stribley to learn about the Bloodhound’s two up-and-coming land speed record attempts.

Andy Green, who holds the current world land speed record of 763.35mph – set at the controls of Thrust SSC in 1997 – will drive Bloodhound. Andy is teaming up, once again, with project director Richard Noble.

The Bloodhound project reaches its climax with two world land speed record attempts – one later this year with a target of 800mph, then a final attempt at smashing through the 1,000mph barrier on the Hakskeen Pan, South Africa, in 2016.

AISH Technologies managing director Lloyd Bates said: “We've been in discussion with Richard Noble since 2010 and we've seen the tremendous determination shown by his team and the hugely complex nature of the project.”

Three multi-function consoles that will be installed in the support trailer during the record attempts have been supplied by AISH. These consoles will track parameters such as engine telemetry, meteorology and driver physiology.

Mr Bates said: “It is very exciting therefore to see the project nearing its climax, and to know that the equipment supplied by us will have such a central role to play.

“We wish Richard and the team the very best of luck in their world record attempt, and we look forward to the world record returning home to the UK.”

The Bloodhound SSC is a four-wheeled jet and rocket-powered car – a hybrid of automotive and aircraft technology.

It is more than 13 metres long, weighs seven tonnes and it is hoped will accelerate to 1,000mph in just 55 seconds. This is fast enough to cover four-and-a-half football pitches in one second.

It is hoped that visits by the Bloodhound representatives, such as Thursday’s AISH event, will help inspire youngsters to think about engineering as a career choice.