Lee Richardson is a Great Britain international

Peter Ljung and Lee Richardson will remain at Lakeside Hammers next season after making their loan moves from Swindon Robins permanent.

Richardson has spent most of the past two seasons on loan with the Hammers and Ljung joined the club in August.

Team manager Jon Cook told BBC Essex: "It's fantastic news for us. He [Richardson] felt very settled and happy at Lakeside.

"Peter Ljung has been a revelation and a breath of fresh air."

The Hammers take-on Eastbourne in a two-legged quarter-final in the Elite League Knockout Cup on Thursday and Friday.

And Cook has warned that some riders are now racing for contracts next year.

"We've got a very good retained list of riders now and we certainly couldn't fit them all in," he added.

"We've got to look at exactly who we've got, and a good performance in the Knockout Cup for one or two of the riders could be just what they require to put them back on that team-sheet for 2011."

The Hammers, who are the holders of the Knockout Cup, missed out on the Elite League play-offs earlier this month.

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