ANYONE who has ever dreamed of owning their own go-karting track should get their wallets out now to take advantage of a rare opportunity.

Due to a family bereavement, the owners of Rayleigh Karting have put the business up for sale for £2.4million after two decades of success at its location next to the A127, near Rayleigh Weir.

When the circuit opened in 1992, indoor karting was a relatively new leisure activity, but with the success of British Formula 1 drivers such as Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, both ex-karters, the business proved to be a huge hit with customers from across Essex and Greater London.

However, after the tragic death from a stroke of their father, Les, 67, and mum Tania, 68, from Westcliff narrowly escaping death after being hit by a car in Southend a year later, directors Toby and Dan Goodrich have made the decision to sell the business as a going concern in order to explore different career paths.

Toby said: “I started working here the day I left school. Now I’m 38, have a young family and would just like to do something different with my life.

“As a family, we’ve worked very hard to develop the business to what it is today and we have a superb team here, several of whom have been loyal to us for many years.

“So, we’re keen to see someone come in, take the business forward with the guys here and continue to make improvements to the raceway.”

As well as catering for adult groups, Rayleigh Karting is a terrific venue for youngsters aged between ten and 16, offering them the opportunity to put their racing skills to the test in appropriately sized and powered machines.

Gerard Bagioni, who is handling the sale for Dedman Gray Commercial, says Rayleigh Karting ticks many of the boxes for entrepreneurs looking for an exciting new investment.

He said: “In 2012, the Goodrich family introduced a bridge to the track layout and this instantly added fresh appeal to the customer base.

“You only have to look at the enormously positive comments on TripAdvisor to see what people think about their experiences at Rayleigh Karting, which highlights its appeal to potential buyers.

“We are already receiving a lot of interest from people involved in the motorsport industry, including track owners and drivers, who are looking to realise the dream of buying their own circuit.

“It is also extremely attractive in its own right as a straight forward business.

"It is also extremely attractive in its own right as a straight foward business opportunity for someone."