A GO-KARTING world championship beckons for a teenager from Didcot – but only if he can raise the funds to get there.

Elliot Harvey, a Year 12 pupil at UTC Oxfordshire in Didcot, has qualified for the IAME X30 World Final for the past three years but never been able to attend as his parents have struggled to pay the high costs of travel and equipment that comes with the sport.

This year, his first year as a senior, Elliot qualified in the Senior X30 class, which takes place in Le Mans in France next month.

Now his parents, Julia and Andrew, are trying to raise £2,500 towards the £4,000 he needs to attend.

Mrs Harvey, a child-minder, said: “We’re not pushing for a family holiday. I’m staying at home and his dad is taking him.

"His dad has to go though as he works as his mechanic to save money.”

Elliot, 16, hopes to leave on October 6 will stay in France for 10 days, with the event itself on October 15 .

Mrs Harvey said: "Some of the other drivers are already out there practising, Elliot will only get two days.

"But he’s still a front-runner, and he’ll be racing against world champions.”

“It’s a rich man’s sport, we’re very much the paupers of the go-karting world.

"We can’t afford a quarter, let alone half of the costs of it.”

Elliot started go-karting aged eight after ‘begging’ his parents to go to the track.

Mr and Mrs Harvey, from Didcot, did not immediately realise their son's natural talent for the sport after taking Elliott to Shenington Airfield near Banbury.

Mrs Harvey said: "We knew nothing about the sport.

“We had no idea how unusual it was that he passed his [go-karting] test the first time.

"Most people who get involved in the sport start really young, so he was three or four years behind his peers.”

Elliot is studying A-Levels in maths, physics and engineering and hopes to study mechanical engineering at university and start a career in the field as he has already considered a professional career in the sport but does not feel he could make a living from it.

Brittany Ferries have helped Elliot and his father out with a free trip from Portsmouth to Caen, but the family still need to raise more money if he is to realise his dream.

To find out more and donate visit gofundme.com/4fx7otc