Arena Essex has been saved - that was the welcome news to emerge from Thursday's press conference at the club to give the speedway team's followers an early Christmas present.

A three man consortium has taken over the speedway operation and there will also be a place in the management structure for Peter Thorogood, who will retain his position of co-promoter.

The people charged with taking the Hammers, into the new millennium are all from Kent and the consortium is headed by Colin Brine, a long time sponsor of Arena rider Tony Pratt through his company, Welling Tools.

He first watched the sport at Canterbury in the early 1970s and has been involved in speedway ever since.

Adrian Kearney also hails from across the water and runs a successful sports clothing company while the third editor is Alan Sargent, a retired businessman who has been a regular follower of the Hammers up and down the country.

For all three members, this venture will be their first in speedway promoting and they will be looking to benefit from Peter Thorogood's wealth of experience in the daily running of the speedway operations.

Former promoter and stadium complex owner, Chick Woodroffe, explained his decision to relinquish his promoters licence at the end of the 1999 season, saying: "I am 75 now and the time has come to cut down my involvement.

''I will still be involved with the other motor sports at Arena and I am delighted to be handing over the speedway to the consortium''.

Colin Brine said: "I would like to thank Chick for the way in which negotiations were speedily and amicably carried out''.

As to team building, Brine would not release any names saying, "It's something that we have looked at and we have an idea who we want.

''We have already spoken to a number of riders who have said they are keen to represent Arena and would love the opportunity to ride here every week.

''That's the commitment that we want and frankly expect and that's the attitude that will hopefully help to make Arena successful'.

''The sport is getting a wider exposure through media channels both nationally and locally and we are grateful for that.

''We have the potential at Arena of increasing our following, the people that live in Essex and those in Kent who are only a short distance away with the Dartford Crossing link''.

Speedway burst into life at Arena in 1984 and the team have raced each year since then, although, on a number of occasions, doubts have been raised during various winters, concerning their involvement the following season with financial losses having been reported.

Arena will compete, once again, in the Premier League and have already been drawn to meet Edinburgh - their conquerors in last season's Knockout Cup final - in the first round of next year's competition.

Picture, top: The directors of 'Arena Speedway 2000 Ltd', the new promotionnconsortium at Arena Essex Speedway . . Colin Brine (left), Alan Sargent (centre) and Adrian Kearney.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.