Former Workington Comets team manager Ian Thomas has passed away aged 69 after battling bowel cancer.

Thomas was a key figure in the Comets formation, setting up the club along with Jeff Brownhut in 1970, and he was pivotal in its rebirth in 1999.

"I'm absolutely gutted by the news," current team boss Tony Jackson told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"He was such a character, he had speedway in his blood, it's such a great loss and such a great shock."

Jackson added: "Everybody in Workington associates Ian with speedway, let's hope we can win the league or something in Ian's memory.

"He was so knowledgeable about the sport. Hopefully something more permanent can maybe be done, because it's a loss to the speedway world in general."

Thomas also enjoyed spells with Newcastle and Hull and as team manager for England and Great Britain.

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