CYCLE sprint champ Damien Hack took on and beat the best of British on Saturday. The Astley and Tyldesley rider (pictured leading the way) proved invincible in the British Cycle Speedway under-16s team championships.

While his team struggled to make its mark on the championships the 14-year-old swept the board with eight wins from eight races.

Damien is the last surviving member of the Astley and Tyldesley team which won the title two years ago but, despite his vast experience, he still has another year in the age group.

Ten teams from all over the country clashed at Astley and Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, Tyldesley, with the Horspath club from Oxford emerging overall winners of the flat out sprinting sport which sees four riders take part in each race around four laps of a 75m oval circuit. Bury took the honours of the two local clubs, finishing third overall with their top rider Robert Pearce who took 11 points out of 16 in the final with one first place, one second and two thirds.

Event organiser and secretary of the A&T club Mike Hack said: "It was a great performance from Bury to reach the final in their first ever appearance in a British Team Championship Final and it was extra special as it is their 25th anniversary.

"As far as Astley and Tyldesley are concerned reaching the second stage was about as much as they could realistically have hoped for as three of their four riders are relative newcomers."

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