If you've been following the race for the Land Speed Record you'll be familiar with Bloodhound SSC. The U.K-based team headed by Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green hopes to smash the previous record, set by Green himself, by achieving over 1,000 miles per hour.

A car with the Bloodhound name has already set a new land speed record though, and this one contains no pilot. The 20 inch balsa wood model has set a new scale speed record of 259mph.

A team of 13 and 14 year old students from Joseph Leckie Community Technology College in Walsall in the U.K. were inspired by Green and the Bloodhound Team's efforts and made the model to set a new Guinness World Record.

The model achieved 88.89 miles per hour in the students' school yard, equating to a scale speed of 259mph.

Green's bid for 1,000mph in the Bloodhound SSC is actually secondary to the team's main aim, which is to inspire U.K. schoolkids to pursue careers in science, technology, mathematics and engineering, all subjects that are highly under-subscribed. Initiatives are underway by the Bloodhound team to show the kids how jet engines work, and how components are designed and manufactured using computer-aided design and CNC machines.

Anything that inspires kids to become the next engineering and technology whizz is welcome to us. As for the engineers behind the mini-Bloodhound, they're already looking forward.

13 year old student Ibrahim Al-Hassan explains: "We can't wait to build a faster one next year".

[Engineering Capacity]