Christmas shoppers are under starter's orders and here is a brilliant chance to beat the rush or simply treat yourself, with two runners-up winning a family ticket each for the first Raceday of the season next Easter.

Your Christmas gift problem could be solved in an instant with our exciting new competition which gives one lucky winner the chance to realise a driving ambition with a Formula Ford - one of the most popular of six driving courses run by the award-winning Castle Combe Racing School.

You could be the one being briefed by one of the school's specialist instructors to drive a racing car similar to those that thrill the crowds in the Formula Ford championship races.

The instructor will explain the basic rules of the road in racing, and the special driving techniques involved, and your first laps will be in a Ford Focus as a passenger while the instructor puts the finer points of the classroom session into practice.

Then it is your turn to take the Focus for three laps of driving assessment before you take the Formula Ford onto the track to experience the thrill of driving a racing car.

Castle Combe Racing School has made it even easier now to book a date for the dream drive, or acquire an open voucher which is valid for a year. These courses range from £95 to £315 and are the most popular choices for Christmas and birthday gifts.

You can call up the website www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk and find a sackload of brilliant gift ideas to bring extra sparkle to the festive season, whether it is tickets for one of the circuit's high octane race weekends or a white knuckle ride as a passenger in a high performance car on one of the UK's fastest and most challenging tracks, there is no shortage of ideas for that last-minute present.

Or you can book season tickets or track days for cars and motorcycles as an original gift, along with vouchers for the four superb Action Days, and season tickets for the full throttle race programme next year.

*Even if you are not lucky enough to win, remember that a gift voucher for a day's tuition at Castle Combe Racing School makes a great gift and further details are available on 01249-782417.

For your chance to win this fantastic prize simply get hold of your Dorset Echo on Monday 17 December for more information.