CLASSIC cars and magnificent flying machines are recreating a bygone era at a race track in the North-East this weekend.

The Croft Circuit, near Darlington, is featuring displays of aircraft from yesteryear, including the only Mark 11 photo-reconnaissance Spitfire still in flying order, and a 57-year-old Hawker Hurricane.

The 56-year-old Spitfire, built at Aldermaston, flew 40 missions in high and low photography sorties over occupied France and Germany during the Second World War.

Both aircraft are kept at Breighton Aerodrome, in North Yorkshire, but will be on show throughout the weekend and are taking off and landing at Croft for the display.

The show, which is being run alongside the Aston Martin Owners' Club weekend, will also feature a range of four-wheeled classic cars, including a 1935 Ford Model C, a pre-war three-litre Bentley, and an Aston Martin DB2.

Qualifying begins today at 9.30am and four races will be entertaining crowds during the afternoon.

Vehicle parades take place from 9.30am to 10.30am on Sunday, with the aerobatic display starting at 11.30am.

Racing on the circuit will getget under way at 12.05pm. Musical entertainment at the show will come from the Eric Clapton tribute band After Midnight, who are coming to Croft fresh from their recent television debut.

They will be performing immediately after today's last race.

Admission to the circuit is £5 today and £12 on Sunday, with a ticket for the whole weekend costing £14.

The event follows Croft's victory this week in its battle with local planning officials.

Council chiefs defended their decision to withdraw a noise abatement order against the circuit, saying legal advice had suggested the authority would have been likely to lose an appeal hearing in November.

The decision was a blow to campaigners for noise reductions.

The council was told the existence of a noise nuisance would have to be judged in the light of planning permission and restrictions on noise levels.

As a result, the council dropped the case because the circuit was not exceeding noise levels, although the council will continue monitoring noise