A series of technical glitches at a test track in Nevada put an end to Colin Fallows and Mike Newby's dream.

Designer Mr Fallows, from Northampton, had hoped his torpedo-shaped ABB e=motion car would smash the current record of 245mph by at least 55mph.

But a scheduled attempt on Saturday failed after the car would not fire up.

Saturday was the last chance to attempt the record before insurance and a three-day permit to use the stretch of Route 93A near the city of West Wendover expired.

The 54-year-old Mr Fallows and driver Mr Newby, from Oxfordshire, hope to return next year with their bright orange, 10m-long (32ft) car to repeat their attempt. The car has 52 batteries and no mechanical gears.

'Extremely disappointed'

Mr Newby's wife Wendy said: "The car's just not working. Mark said it wasn't the batteries but the components from them.

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"They have fired the batteries up but the car's not starting.

"Mark is extremely disappointed after all the work he has put in, getting sponsorship and putting so much time into it.

"He has been working for this for so long, but he will do it some way or another."

Two previous attempts on Thursday and Friday were abandoned due to winds and electrical problems.

The attempts were monitored and verified by Fia (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) officials.

The official record of 394km/h (245mph) was set by the US White Lightning vehicle in 1999, but e=motion had aimed to be the first car of its kind to break the 483km/h (300mph) barrier.

An Ohio University team has already averaged 314.9mph over two runs, but did not get the record as their Buckeye Bullet had been given a push start and did not meet Fia rules.