A BLACK Country engineering firm boss is hoping to propel a British ocean adventurer into the record books by building the world's fastest superboat.

Despite being based as far away from the sea as possible - Micklewright Structures Ltd in Blowers Green, Dudley, is building a revolutionary new powerboat for Alan Priddy's forthcoming attempt to circumnavigate the globe in under 50 days.

Leading marine adventurer Mr Priddy believes he can beat New Zealander Pete Bethune’s 61-day record for round-the-world powerboating - with help from Black Country brothers Andy and Stuart Micklewright who are building the extreme powerboater what they hope will be the fastest and most efficient wave-piercing vessel on the planet.

And on October 3 the 57-year-old multiple world record holder stopped off at the firm, founded and run by Andy from Kingswinford and Stuart from Netherton, to see how the new powerboat Good Heart is shaping up ahead of the Global Circumnavigation Challenge.

Instead of a traditional boat builder, Mr Priddy favoured the Thornleigh Trading Estate based engineering company to bring to reality his revolutionary design which he describes as “90-feet of pure technology”.

Being built out of recycled aluminium, the light-weight vessel will be highly fuel efficient and will be able to submarine beneath waves under constant propulsion from twin engines to enable the adventurer to cover 24,000 miles at sea in 50 days or less to clinch the coveted UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) world record.

Supporting him in his quest, which will likely start and finish in Gibraltar, is Dudley South MP Chris Kelly, who says he is delighted but not surprised a borough business is behind the ultra-ambitious bid.

He said: "Despite being landlocked and as far from the sea as it’s possible to be in the UK, the Dudley borough has a long history of involvement in the marine industry - not least with our history of chain-making locally.

“The Titanic anchor was made in Netherton, just a few hundred yards from where Good Heart is currently being built.

“If you can design it we can build it here in the Black Country and Good Heart is a superb example of that.”

To find out more about the challenge check out circumnavigationrecord.com