A SPEEDWAY fan from Bradford is evoking memories of the sport's former champions as he tries to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

John Murphy has pledged his support to current world speedway king Tai Woffinden's fundraising drive for the London hospital.

Woffinden is aiming to raise £100,000 for a new single en-suite bedroom in the Premier Inn Clinical Building, and earlier this year asked speedway fans to help him.

Now, Mr Murphy, of Cooper Lane, plans to sell Great Ormond Street Hospital purple wristbands for £2 each.

"My initial target is to sell 22," said Mr Murphy. "One for each world champion who has ridden at Bradford."

"The last two English world champions had very strong Bradford connections. Gary Havelock was our captain in 1992 when he won the title. And Mark Loram was in the Bradford league-winning team in 1997 - he became world champion in 2000.

"We had to wait 13 years for Tai to do it and though we have no team, I feel, spiritually, Gary and Mark have passed on the world champion baton to Tai. We have no team, but we can contribute with respect to Bradford speedway.

"And as a parent I wanted to help a hospital that please God I will never need but is reassuring to know it will always be there."