MOTORBIKING grandmaster Dougie Lampkin has successfully wheelied around the Isle of Man TT course, keeping up on his back wheel for 37.7 miles and defeating strong winds.

The 12-times World Trials champion from Coniston was forced to postpone his unique challenge, which was scheduled for Saturday, due to 55mph gusts of wind.

But the 40-year-old star set off at 5pm on Sunday in bright sunshine and nailed the Snaefell mountain circuit in one hour 35 minutes, despite the windy conditions and becoming the first person to successfully complete the legendary course on just one wheel.

Speaking after crossing the finishing line, Mr Lampkin told just how tough the attempt was: “Up to ten times I came close to dropping and I thought I’d lost it twice.

"When you’ve lost your balance and your right leg comes off, you’re in massive trouble.

“I couldn’t rely on the rear brake at that speed.”

Summing up the incredible effort after months of gruelling training and modifications to his Factory Vertigo trial bike, he said: “It was very nerve-wracking, so it’s a massive relief.

“There’s been huge build-up to it – seven months of planning and training and it was still a much bigger challenge than anticipated.

“There were so many things out of my control and even with five police bikes in front there were still a bus and a cars that tried to pull out as the road wasn’t closed for me, apart from the mountain section.

“I was just hanging on really. It wasn’t over until a couple of metres from the end but that last couple of metres was just amazing.”

Explaining the idea he said: “Everyone wants to wheelie – it was the same when I was a kid with a pushbike, just wanting to wheelie off the curb.”

Mr Lampkin has been practising on the quiet roads of a nearby estate and, safely home, he was looking forward to watching himself in action. “I’m just going to settle down and watch it – see how I did!”

It was the first live broadcast of such a sporting event from the Isle of Man.

Viewers could also attempt their own virtual wheelie on a specially-created mobile game at dougie.redbull.tv during the broadcast.

To watch Mr Lampkin in action go to Red Bull TV online.