Early risers assembled at a Kent beach this morning to watch a TV star and adrenaline junkie attempt a cross-Channel challenge.

Guy Martin was preparing to film for an episode of the new series of his Channel 4 show, Speed With Guy Martin.

Martin, a professional motorcycle racer and mechanic, was pedalling a large blimp across the water.

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Residents' pictures show that the crew got to Seabrook, near Hythe, at the crack of dawn to prepare.

It was only in May that the star first attempted a similar task, but didn't even make it far off the coastline.

It was dubbed possibly his biggest challenge he's done so far, requiring him to pedal more than four hours to get across to France.

Martin, who is originally from Grimsby, has filmed two series of the show which has so far seen him try to break several records.

He has completed challenges in vehicles including motorcycles, hovercraft and a soapbox car.

The video of the blimp coming over Princes Parade, taken by Ria Hancock

In March, he set a new record for the Wall of Death – the perilous motorcycle challenge around a vertical wall without support – live on TV with a speed of 78.15mph.

Other programmes Martin has made include building a replica Spitfire from scratch, based on an original which had been buried in a French beach since 1940, before taking the aircraft to the skies.