STARS from the world of motor racing beat a path to the Elvington circuit for a charity gala.

Yorkshire Air Museum, near York, was playing host to a huge fundraising gala event to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The VIP guest this year was Channel Five's Fifth Gear presenter Vickie Butler-Henderson.

Vickie joined other stars of the motor racing world, including Martyn Bell, Andy Curtis, Phillip Glew and Guy Smith, at the event.

Yorkshire Air Ambulances and crew members were in attendance.

The Elvington circuit is the home of the Yorkshire Air Museum, and the site of Top Gear's Richard Hammond's near- fatal accident in September 2006.

Hammond, 38, nicknamed the Hamster by Top Gear colleagues James May and Jeremy Clarkson, was filming for the BBC2 show at Elvington airfield, near York, when his jet-powered Vampire dragster blew a tyre, veered off the runway, flipped over several times and crashed on to grass.

He was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary, where he was treated for swelling to the brain and bruising, and where he stayed for five weeks.

The charity was able to purchase a second helicopter in October after it received a flood of donations in the wake of Top Gear's Richard Hammond being airlifted to hospital following his high speed crash at Elvington.

The new aircraft has been dubbed Hammy's Heli in his honour and is based at Sheffield City Airport.

But at the end of November, its first helicopter had to be grounded due to wear and tear of the main bearing in the gear box. Warning lights in the cockpit first alerted engineers to the problem and the charity has had to pay out £50,000 for repairs.