THRILLS and spills promise to wow the crowds at a special speedway night for Lol Hare tomorrow.

By TRACEY SPARLING

Health and Education Editor

tracey.sparling@eveningstar.co.uk>

THRILLS and spills promise to wow the crowds at a special speedway night for Lol Hare tomorrow.

The benefit meeting in the paralysed speedway rider's honour will see a car fired from a cannon by James Bond stunt men, vintage racing, Samba dancing and an auction of speedway memorabilia.

Marcus Stewart's, Tony Adams' and England team autographed shirts will also be up for grabs.

The cannon spectacle will be performed by Suffolk stuntman Dave Bickers and team –the guys who killed Grant Mitchell in Eastenders.

That's not forgetting lots of good racing, and former world champion Michael Lee will make his last ever appearance against Scotland's greatest ever rider Kenny McKinna.

Star riders from all the clubs Lol has ridden for, including Ipswich, Exeter, Oxford and Edinburgh will converge on Foxhall stadium for heats that he would be proud of.

Lol, who was injured in a crash at Newport on April 14, is still awaiting transfer from the town's hospital, to be under the care of spinal specialists at Stoke Mandeville Hospital as soon as a bed is free.

He desperately wanted to be home for the event, to see all his friends, but that is looking unlikely now.

He suffered six crushed vertebrae after the handlebar of his bike hit his neck, before he slammed through the track fence.

His aunt Lynn Dennis said a special programme had been designed for the meeting, featuring Lol's career and pictures of his spectacular riding.

She added: "A video has also been compiled to show all his races from his entry into the sport, to the accident. It will be on sale at the benefit meeting, costing £12, with £10 from each sale going to the appeal for Lol's future.

"It's thrilling to watch, and shows why he was called Last Lap Lol. There is also a message from Lol at the end."

The appeal which is run by Lynn and former Witches co-promoter Mike Western, in conjunction with the Evening Star got another welcome boost last night when Kesgrave Social Club held a fund raising evening.

Club steward, Gary Garner, said: "We get a lot of speedway supporters who use the club and Lol's father is also a member."

The evening was a great success with a raffle and local band Crew of Four, who played for free. Raffle prizes were donated by businesses in the area and club members.

Club president Sharon Rawlings said the night was a great success.

"We all wanted to do something to help and we had a great night and raised £650 for Lol. The club donated some bottles of brandy and other alcohol and we had a game of rolling the 50 pence piece. The person who got closest won all the bottles."

So far, £36,500 has been raised from a variety of events and collections.

The benefit night starts at 6.30pm with the auction and Suffolk School of Samba, and the racing starts at 7.30pm.

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Donations for the appeal can be sent to Geraldine Thompson, Editor's Secretary, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.