HAROLD Doonan is staging a ‘Save Our Speedway’ rally at his yard in Lynch Lane, Weymouth on Saturday (10.30am) in a last-ditch bid to keep the popular sport in the town.

The builders’ merchant is part of a consortium interested in saving the Weymouth Wildcats but so far the group has been unable to nail down a lease for the Wessex Raceway at Radipole Lane with landlords Wessex Delivery Partnership still refusing to answer their calls.

With the constitution of the National League having already been confirmed for the forthcoming campaign, Doonan has admitted time is running out for the club but he still harbours hopes of a last-minute revival.

He told Echosport: “I am trying my damndest to try and help keep speedway in the town and although we are probably flogging a dead horse already, we will keep fighting to the bitter end.

“That is why we have arranged an open meeting at my yard on Saturday where some guys from Poole will present a selection of vintage speedway bikes for fans to take a look at.

“We are hoping it will attract around 100 people, which would then give a small indication of just how much interest there is out there to keep the Wildcats going. And who knows, it might just tip the balance with the landlords as well.

“It may well be too late to get everything sorted to enter the league now but we have to at least try or Weymouth is going to lose a big amenity.

“With the riders competing all over the country and fans organising their holidays around the sport, speedway does a lot in terms of attracting people to the town and I believe it is another thing the area cannot afford to just let go.”

Doonan has even indicated that his consortium would be interested in relocating the Wildcats if a suitable location was found.

He added: “There must be somewhere in the area where the council would allow us to do it but we cannot really start talking to people until the landowners of the Wessex Raceway give us a definitive answer, one way or the other.

“I just wish they would pick up the phone and let us know where we stand. If they don’t want us there then just tell us, then we can start looking into other avenues.”