Some say he is capable of pulling a lorry...

Hundreds turned out yesterday in Pocklington to see if The Stig really was capable of such a feat.

The famously aloof test-driver for BBC series Top Gear was in East Yorkshire as special guest for Giant Bradley Day in Market Weighton.

But his competitive nature got the better of him as he was asked to help pull an eight-tonne lorry eight miles from Pocklington to the event.

The stunt was organised to raise funds for forces' charity Help For Heroes.

The Stig – donning his trademark white racing suit – was joined by members from the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment (The Green Howards).

Despite a rocky start when the hand-break was left on, the 24-strong team completed the challenge in two hours and 10 minutes.

Afterwards, The Stig posed for photographs and signed autographs for delighted children and fans of the popular show.

The stunt was inspired by Private Ben Bainbridge, 19, of Market Weighton, who was left fighting for his life after an improvised device exploded while he was on patrol in Helmand, Afghanistan, on January 7.

He spent two-and-half months in Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, recovering from a punctured lung, shrapnel wounds and broken bones.

He said: "It was terrifying, but on the other hand it's part and parcel of what we've signed up for.

"Help for Heroes is a fantastic charity which has funded medical equipment I needed."

Organiser of the lorry pull, Sean Renwick, said the event has raised around £1,500.

He said: "The support has been phenomenal. People were stopping their cars and writing us cheques."

The 16th Giant Bradley Day drew visitors from across the region who enjoyed fairground rides, magic shows, a bird of prey display and a host of entertainment.

The event is dedicated to the memory of William Bradley – dubbed the Yorkshire Giant – who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries and was Britain's tallest man at 7ft 9in.

The Stig - whose real identity remains a mystery - took to the stage but gave nothing away, only nodding to the presenter.

The crowd cheered as he did a lap of the grounds in a mobility scooter.

Four-year-old Matthew Ward, wearing a Top Gear t-shirt, had travelled from Lancashire to meet his hero.

His uncle Kelvin Huxley said: "He loves the show, he's a big fan.

"He wants to own a Lamborghini one day."

Collecting donations, Daniel Bell revealed he believed The Stig was dark-skinned or tanned.

The eagle-eyed 16-year-old, a Pocklington-based Army cadet, said: "In the sunlight I could see through his visor and he looked a little dark-skinned. He was tall too.

"I think it's Lewis Hamilton, because I've seen him at the grand prix and he was about the same height."

But on-looker James Smith, 32, of east Hull, said: "It can't be Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher because they'll both be in Turkey for the F1 grand prix.

"That's why I think it's Damon Hill. Of course, The Stig is probably a few people."

This year's Giant Bradley Day was moved out of the town centre to Market Weighton Football Club's grounds at Goodmanham Road.

Organiser Keith Lowe hopes to expand the event year-on-year.

He said: "It's been bigger and better this year and we hope next year to make it a two-day event, with a rock festival one day and a family day on the other."

For the first time, a small entrance fee was charged, which will go towards new changing rooms at the football club.

However, the event wasn't fun for everyone, as one woman playing a football shoot-out game was taken to hospital with a suspected broken toe.