Watch NZH Local Focus: Soap box derby bigger every year

Whanganui's annual Soapbox derby has been running for four years.

And each year it gets more popular with local kids - and kids at heart.

Organiser Mick Paul says "we have seen it develop from bits of timber and a couple of wheels, to some of the carts that you will see going past shortly, the kids and their parents have really gotten into it."

The idea is simple: make a go-cart out of whatever you like, then race them against your mates.

This year even the Fire Service turned up, with a fully themed go cart.

"We started it about four months ago, along with a few other projects we had on the way, but pretty much three nights a week for the last three months," says Blair Gray, Captain of the Rural Fire service miniature squad truck.

Everything imaginable got raced, or rolled down the hill, from bathtubs to bat-mobiles.

Even one legged drivers got a go.

Leroy Taylor, who calls himself Legless, was driving a 'V8' hot water cylinder.

"I lined up the second jump, I missed the first to try and get some good top speed," he says.

The top speed?

50 kilometres an hour, with the slippery wet weather not slowing them down.

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