FOLLOWING our article on the glory days of Weymouth Speedway, Pete Pitney got in touch to pay tribute to a well loved rider who passed away last year.

Lewis Harry Coffin, known as 'Lew', was a regular on the Weymouth track and died aged 93 on February 5 2015.

A funeral service was held at his home in Leigh, near Sherborne.

Pete said: "Lew was involved with Weymouth Speedway for many years and some of the lads would have come through his training schools that run in the late 1960s and early 1970s at the old Wessex Stadium.

"There was a good following at Lew's training schools in those days and quite a few of us all then young lads would go and help out.

"The training schools were run on a Sunday back then but you wouldn't be allowed to do that these days because of noise.

"Lew used to bring two bikes of his own, I think they were Japs 500c and rent them out on the day to anyone who came with leathers and a crash helmet .

"Lew would insure them and off they would go on some of them saying they had ridden a motorbike before, then hit the fence on the first bend not knowing what way to turn the throttle.

"Lew had an old Zodiac car in those days and quite often it would be used as an ambulance to take the injured riders to Weymouth and district hospital. Regulations wouldn't allow that now

"I must not forget Lew's wife Betty, who would be at Lew's side most of the time. What fantastic memories they are."

*If you have any memories of Lew Coffin or other great speedway riders, get in touch with Looking Back.