It is hard to believe now but many international races, including Formula 1 events used to be held at Snetterton.

And now, by extending into the infield, the track is being lengthened to bring it back to top-class standards.

While the likes of newly-crowned world champion Lewis Hamilton are unlikely to be returning to the Norfolk venue in the immediate future, its days as a back marker look to be over.

A lack of investment by a succession of owners has seen its state and position on the global racing grid deteriorate but it was so different 57 years ago.

The circuit's history started in 1951 at the Hamblyn House country club in Rickinghall.

A bunch of motor racing enthusiasts, who regularly met there, were determined to establish a circuit in south Norfolk.

At first they used Fersfield aerodrome with three meetings held here, all organised by the Eastern Counties Motor Club.

But motorsport's governing body; the RAC, was not happy with the safety aspect at the village circuit.

For the venue to carry on at least £10,000 would have to be spent upgrading it. Somewhere else had to be found.

Back at the Hamblyn House; owner Oliver Sear and two Diss businessmen, John and Ben Wyatt, decided to approach Fred Riches, the owner of the former Snetterton Heath Airdrome.

A third Wyatt brother, Joe; owned Grange Farm, which was adjacent and thought Riches would be interested.

It was decided that unlike Fersfield, the circuit would be run as a business venture, and Oliver Sear would be the manager with Dudley Coram as clerk of the course. With about 8,000 spectators at the second Fersfield event; the men knew they should be on to a racing certainty at Snetterton.

Sear and Coram were members of the Aston Martin Owners Club, and the club was offered the use of the fledgling circuit.

The first event at Snetterton was held on October 27, 1951.

Geoffrey H Lazell, Bressingham: "As both a previous owner of Hamblyn House and a driver on the circuit, I would like to add a few details.

"Hamblyn House is uniquely in the ancient parishes of both Rickinghall Superior and Rickinghall Inferior! The old county boundary between East Suffolk and West Suffolk is shared by the boundary between those two parishes and as Hamblyn House was originally two separate buildings, this boundary ran right through the middle of the now adjoined property - from the front door to the back, right down the hall in fact!

"This resulted in the quirky situation of paying two lots of rates when I owned the place and we featured on BBC 'Look East' as a result, in 1980 or '81 as I recall.

"Oliver Sear's mother bought the magnificent 16th century building for him when he returned from military service in the second world war and it was indeed he who first opened it as a 'club', thus beginning about 50 years of further chequered history as a licensed establishment until it was sadly de-licensed, only a few years ago.

"Although I never knew Oliver Sear or John Wyatt, I did have the pleasure of knowing Ben Wyatt and indeed once spent a very pleasant afternoon salmon fishing with him in Scotland, which was another of his great passions. (I also, for many years played rugby with John's son, Chris and, dare I admit, even his grandsons, Jason and Steven!) Certainly Oliver and his co-founders were all colourful local characters!

"In the late 70s I had the memorable experience of learning to drive Formula Ford racing cars at the then Jim Russell Racing School at Snetterton, eventually qualifying for my RAC Racing Driver's Licence.

" Unfortunately, work commitments at the time got in the way of actually racing there but what a fantastic thrill it was to drive at 124 mph in a single seater on such a famous circuit.

"I remember very well the then Chief Instructor, an ex-racing driver called John Kirkpatrick explaining the principles of motor racing in his introductory talk to we students thus: 'A racing circuit comprises mainly black bits and green bits. Motor racing is all about staying on the black bits!'

"It is most heartening to see that the old aerodrome at Snetterton is about to be given a new lease of life and will continue to give pleasure to thousands of motor racing fans well into the future."