FRIDAY'S episode of Amazon's Grand Tour was hailed as the "best yet" by fans after seeing Jeremy Clarkson break records in the Lake District.

Along with co-stars Richard Hammond and James May, the former Top Gear trio took to the water to take part in the 47th Records Week last year.

The presenters attempted to build a road-legal, amphibious car, before trying to beat the British water speed record.

The episode was the latest in the show's second season on Amazon Prime.

Alison Whalley, chairman of Coniston Powerboat Records Week, praised the show for highlighting the "beauty" of the area.

She said: "We welcomed The Grand Tour to Coniston in November, and the programme showing Jeremy Clarkson achieving a national record in the Amphibious Experimental Unlimited class was released last week.

"Mr Clarkson was one of 49 competitors attempting records at the 2017 event and we were pleased that he was one of the 25 successful attempts."

"The programme showed the beauty of the area and the strength of the event, which welcomes many competitors and spectators to the Lake District each year."

Viewers took to Twitter after the show was released, with Jamie Green saying: "Best episode of @thegrandtour yet! Nice to see coniston as well."

Another viewer, Richard Crake, said: "Congratulations @JeremyClarkson for breaking the record at #Coniston."

Other viewers took to Amazon to have their say.

User Boyd W. said: "Episode 9, best one yet! this episode was hilarious. Fair play to Jeremy it took some serious skill to steer that boat across what looked to me a very choppy lake."

Another user, D T Dean, said: "This is Grand Tour back to its best, as in when it was called Top Gear. Don't change it now. Lads having a laugh but talking technically about cars."

Chris Wares said: "Great fun with a trio of old guys re-enacting their childhood dreams, again."

The group were surrounded by onlookers who gathered on the shore in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the stars.

Members of the public first saw the presenters enjoying their trademark banter after Clarkson drove a boat onto the shore.

Taking to Twitter during the attempts, Records Week organisers confirmed Clarkson had set a new water-speed record.

He undertook the challenge in a converted aquatic Bond Bug car, where he reached speeds of 47.81mph, a record in the experimental amphibious unlimited class.

Speaking at the time, one bystander said: "During records week there have been a number of innovative cars there.

"There were amphibious vehicles - one was a quad bike that turned into a jet ski.

"There was a Bond Bug a classic car from about 40 years ago, but it's been converted into a power boat. What happened was that Jeremy Clarkson set a new national record in that."

As well as Clarkson, speed enthusiasts gathered on the water as part of the annual Records Week.

The Grand Tour presenters were not the only famous faces to be seen by the water.

Edd China, well-known TV personality from a range of car-themed shows - including Top Gear , Scrapheap Challenge and Wheeler Dealers - was also taking part in Records Week.

He was seen wearing a garish waterproof jacket, describing himself on twitter as looking like a "tropical lighthouse."

Each year, thousands descend on Coniston to pay homage to some of the heroes of speed racing.

Last year's effort was hailed as a tremendous success, with increased number of entries and spectators throughout the week.

There were 49 entries, 182 runs and 25 records broken on the measured Kilometre in the 47th Records Week.

The search for speed record can be a dangerous one, with the late Donald Campbell losing his life on Coniston in 1967 as he attempted to break the world water speed record.