SUFFOLK Speedway ace Lawrence Hare "often want to die," a relative told the Evening Star today.Lol's mother-in-law Audrey Tully exclusively opened her heart to the Star, saying the 32-year-old was "lying in agony" on his hospital bed.

By Amanda Cresswell

SUFFOLK Speedway ace Lawrence Hare "often want to die," a relative told the Evening Star today.

Lol's mother-in-law Audrey Tully exclusively opened her heart to the Star, saying the 32-year-old was "lying in agony" on his hospital bed.

Mrs Tully, of Bramford Road, spoke out to back our campaign to introduce safer fencing on speedway tracks.

Lol is in a stable condition at Gwent Hospital after his crash at Newport which saw him hitting a concrete barrier. He faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Mrs Tully said: "This is no fairy story. There is no magic bean for Lawrence to swallow. This is reality.

"The truth of the matter is that lovely, lovely Lol is extremely poorly. He can move just his head at the moment and that has two bolts and weights attached to them.

"He is only being sedated as much as staff dare because of his chest infection. He is no coward or stranger to pain. He is in unbearable agony. Quite often he wants to die."

Lol is facing an operation on Thursday where it is hoped that feeling will return back to his arms.

But she added: "It is not expected to do the same for his legs ever unless, as we have been told, there is a miracle – and these don't happen very often.

"So while we all try to be optimistic those who are closest to Lol must be practical and accept that there is a long, painful uphill climb for Lol. Nobody gets up and walks away from these injuries."

Lol's heartbroken mother in law spoke movingly of the young man's condition.

"We all try to encourage him to make as good as recovery as possible. It isn't going to be easy, least of all for Lawrence who still lies motionless in his bed, not knowing when he will be able to sit up.

"He wakes from drug induced sleeps panicking because he cannot feel himself breathing."

She was bitter that an air fence hadn't been installed, which could have saved Lawrence from his injuries.

"I read in the paper that for a measly £300 an air fence can be hired. That's 600 spectators paying 50 p each on entrance fee. For that small amount of cash and a bit of foresight on the part of those at the top Lol would, in his own words, have walked away from this.

"I know there is no guarantee that he would have been unharmed. But he would have stood more chance. Given the chose of being hurled at speed into a concrete wall or an air fence I know which I would chose. But sadly the riders are not given a choice.

"It's easy to look at a lovely smiling photo of Lawrence. But I can tell you this. He isn't smiling now and it will be a long time before he does. He looks nothing like the pictures we see in print. That is my for as long as I draw breath I will continue to make noise and irritate people until something is done."

Heartbroken she suggested drawing up a petition for every speedway track in Britain to be signed by spectators, riders and others at entrance gates and to forward them on to the Health and Safety Minister.

Mrs Tully will also be approaching her own Member of Parliament, Michael Lord, to ensure something is done.

"I will spend the rest of my days campaigning in between supporting Lawrence during his recovery period."