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Since the world championships were held there last year there has been an upsurge in interest among female riders hoping to emulate the success of Great Britain's Yvonne McGregor who won the World Pursuit Championship.

Women like Chester's Janet Hassle, who has taken to track racing after only a year in competitive cycling, have been giving established riders like Rusine Airstone a run for her money.

Rochdale's Bev Lloyd, who had been coming along to support her daughter Nicki, has been persuaded to take up racing too.

The track league even has the current World masters Sprint Champion, Chorlton's Glynis Francis, competing regularly at the National Cycling Centre in east Manchester.

Glynis said: "It's great to see so many women racing. It's great fun as well as being good racing."

Some of those taking part came through the Velodrome's novice taster sessions. Track development officer Andrea Ingram said: "A lot of people think this is a sport mainly for men.

"It's certainly not. I encourage all women coming along to our taster sessions to consider having a go at the competitive side.

"We invite novice riders down to meet the current riders and feel the great atmosphere at race meetings, and it works."

Track leagues run all winter and both the National Championships and the World Masters will be held at the Velodrome this year.