Hastings echoed to the sound of horsepower on Sunday as more than 100 high performance machines cruised into town for a fundraising day in memory of a special little boy writes Rob Griffin.

A stunning line-up of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, Audis, BMWs, Mercedes and other prestigious marques gathered on a gloriously sunny Stade for Hughie’s Supercar Sunday.

A few of the supercars that were on The Stade on Sunday

The fantastic event was held to remember three-year-old Hughie Pringle, who tragically died of a brain haemorrhage two years ago, and raise money for the Demelza Children’s Hospice.

It was a truly amazing turnout. Thousands of petrolheads, many of whom wore Hughie’s favourite colour of red, arrived for a close-up look at some incredible cars.

Hughie’s parents, Richard and Jen Pringle, were delighted with the support and said the day was all about bringing the community together and putting a smile on people’s faces.

“Today we wanted to celebrate our little boy’s life and his love of supercars – and that’s exactly what it was: a celebration,” said Richard.

It was also the official unveiling of Hughie’s Red Firebus – a gorgeous VW campervan bought with the money donated in the little lad’s name.

The original plan was to use the £48,000 to build a play park but the costs and logistics involved meant this wasn’t a realistic possibility.

Instead, Richard and Jen decided upon a fantastic alternative…buying the camper, which Hughie had loved when seeing it around town, and converting it to mobile play park!

The hard work has been completed by Johnson Bespoke, whose team have given their time free of charge and produced a masterpiece that young children will love.

The couple will be taking the stunning machine to fetes and festivals, raising money for a number of children’s charities.

In a Facebook post, Richard said it was wonderful to see hundreds of people lining the streets and the excitement on children’s faces as they got to see their favourite cars.

“That’s what Hughie’s Supercar Sunday is all about: bringing joy to our town,” he wrote. “In doing so we hope to have raised a large amount of money for the Demelza Children’s Hospice and we also hope you all had a brilliant day.”

The couple were keen to thank the huge number of people involved in putting the day together, including the organisational skills of Surrey Car Meet, Hastings Council for allowing use of the Stade, and all the stewards, drivers and visitors.

“Today was special,” added Richard. “It was a community coming together and we love you all for making this so special.”