Drag queens, American football teams and hoardes of fans give Top Gear a true Blackpool welcome

Reader Claiire McGurk watched Top Gear filming on Blackpool beach. She said: "This afternoon's filming on the beach, great fun to watch!"

Blackpool rolled out the (slightly damp) red carpet to welcome new Top Gear presenters Chris Evans and Matt Le Blanc for a weekend's filming in the resort.

The Top Gear crew were joined by a local drag queen, Lancashire Wolverines American football team and mayor Peter Callow as they filmed on the beach.

The pair set up a series of stunts with a Land Rover and a Jeep in a battle that Evams dubbed ‘GB v USA’ and were seen having a tug of war, racing along the sands and driving down the Prom steps.

They suffered through terrible weather but remained upbeat, with Evans tweeting “Blackpool is so brilliantly British”.

Top Gear presenters Chris Evans and Matt Le Blanc 'drag racing' for the new series of Top Gear in Blackpool, Lancs., Evans and Le Blanc travelled over 300 miles to get to Blackpool from London. 20 February 2016.

They also took time out to meet fans and pose for selfies.

Reader Emma Kania got a picture with Chris Evans and said: “It was was worth being cold and wet for three hours to see Chris Evans and Matt Le Blanc.”

The pair drove from London in a pair of Reliant Robins, branded with the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes – a journey that took them 13 hours after a series of problems including a breakdown near Wolverhampton.