Around 150 people attended the funeral of Ian Thomas, the founder of Workington speedway, which took place on Friday just outside Leeds.

Mr Thomas, 69, died two weeks ago, in a hospital in Yorkshire after a long battle with illness and many riders and promoters attended the funeral, held at Rawdon crematorium, to pay their respects.

Current and past riders with the Comets including Taffy Owen and Steve Watson, who rode in the 1970s, Andre Compton who has ridden for the Comets for the past two seasons and current riders James and Charles Wright all attended the funeral along with Workington fans.

Comets owner Keith Denham and team manger Tony Jackson were also in attendance with former promoters Graham Drury and Tony Mole along with Rob Godfery of Scunthorpe and Chris Van Straten of Wolves.

The eulogy at the funeral was given by Mr Thomas’s press officer and journalist Richard Bott who had worked with Mr Thomas from the 1970s.

Other people who attended were Derwent Park track worker Anthony Denham, Edinburgh promoter and current BSPA chairman Alex Harkness, Sheffield promoter Neil Machin, ex Comets centre green presenter Dave Hoggart, referees Dave Dowling, Tony Steele and Jim Lawrence, former Workington riders Carl Stonehewer, Chris Collins, Reg Wilson and Robbie Gardener, former rider Dave Younghusband, Glasgow’s Joe Screen and Newcastle’s Mark Lemon as well as Tom and Joe Owen who rode for Newcastle when Thomas was promoter there.

Former England international and current Belle Vue manager Chris Morton, and former Workington track curator Tony Swales were also in attendance.

With the new season fast approaching Comets’ new reserve Charles Wright has set his stall out to try and raise his average to above six during next year’s campaign.

The ambitious youngster has endured a torrid time with injuries over the last couple of years but believes he has matured since he was last with the Comets.

He said: “I just want to improve my average this season and I feel I can move it up to around six or six-and-a-half.

“Hopefully I can stay away from injuries this year but I will still go for chances to pass when they come but maybe just use my head a bit more.

“I feel I have the experience with regards to set up for the tracks and I know what I need to do to try and get good scores.”

Wright has been training hard to get physically fit for the new season and is looking for a couple of weekends where he can get on the bikes at different tracks.

He added: “I want to try and practise at as many places as I can and have already been invited to Wolverhampton’s press and practice day.”

Wright feels that if he does start to struggle this year he has plenty of experience to call upon in the Comets team including his own brother James as well as Tomas Topinka and Rusty Harrison.

He said: “It is good to have these guys in the team and I know them quite well and get on with them.

“I don’t know much about Kenny or Peter but I am sure we will come together when we start racing with each other.

“I want to prove to everybody including the management and the fans how much I have matured and want to succeed.”