The current diesel land speed record has been held since 1973

Wing Cmdr Andy Green from RAF Wittering in Cambs wants to break the record in a vehicle built by the digger firm JCB at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

In 1997, Wing Cmdr Green became the first and only person to drive at supersonic speeds in the vehicle Thrust SSC when he achieved a speed of 763mph.

The current diesel land speed record is 235.756mph, set in August 1973.

Wing Cmdr Green hopes to break Virgil W. Snyder's record by travelling at speeds in excess of 300mph.

We're advertising just how great British engineering is Wing Cmdr Andy Green

He said the car, which has two JCB engines each modified to give the output of an Formula One car engine, had been tested up to 200mph at Wittering.

"We're going to set a remarkable diesel record and we're very proud to have the chance to do that," he said.

"There's a union flag wrapped around the tail fin (of the car) for a very good reason.

"This is not just advertising JCB engineering. We're advertising just how great British engineering is," he said.

The serious business of attempting to break the record does not begin until 21 August, when the car has five days to make a series of runs early in the morning before the temperature rises.

Daytime temperatures on the Bonneville Salt Flats are currently more than 40C.