Last updated 19:40, Thursday, 10 April 2008

CORONATION Street actor Jack P Shepherd will be at Workington Comets’ home fixture against Glasgow next Saturday.

Actor Jack P Shepherd

Shepherd, who plays bad boy David Platt, will make a celebrity guest appearance at the Premier Trophy clash.

Platt was to have been at Derwent Park on Easter Monday but his filming commitments made that impossible.

Comets’ team manager Ian Thomas has now agreed a deal through his own entertainment agency with Shepherd for the meeting with Glasgow.

Thomas said: “It’s some considerable time since I was involved in Coronation Street

bookings.

“If I said I had Elsie Tanner to open Ellesmere Port and Bet Lynch to stand-in at short notice for George Best at Barrow you’ll know how long ago.”

Comets owner Keith Denham is a Coronation Street fan and had been keen to get someone from the soap.

The actor will be at Workington speedway an hour before the start to sign autographs and pose for pictures for fans in the Derwent Lounge.

He will be introduced to both teams before the start and give an interview with announcer Michael Max, a Corrie fan, on the centre green before the first race. Shepherd will then watch the meeting from the directors’ box.

Before Platt and Glasgow, there’s the little matter of King’s Lynn and Newcastle this weekend as Comets start their Premier League season.

King’s Lynn, the most successful team in the Premier League over the last two years, visit Derwent Park tomorrow (7pm start) while the Comets are off to Newcastle on Sunday (5.30pm start).

Former Workington favourite Rusty Harrison will be in the King’s Lynn team, following his surprise winter decision to get back into speedway after announcing he was taking a break.