Villar benefit meeting gets the nod.

Despite the Christmas break, the money has continued to roll into the Carlos Villar Support Fund for the paralysed Berwick Bandit's speedway rider with the announcement at the latest committee meeting on Wednesday night that the current total is ?15,411.54.

This includes a magnificent ?500 from Exeter Speedway supporters' club and well over ?600 from Berwick's video man and Edinburgh director, Mike Hunter who is donating all profits from the sales of his Berwick 2003 highlights presentation to the fund.

Best news on the night was when it was made known that Berwick Borough Council planning committee would not stand in the way of the planned running of a benefit speedway meeting for Carlos to be run outwith the current planning guidelines at Shielfield Park on Saturday March 6th.

The Speedway Control Bureau had already said they were happy for the event to take place which now means it's all systems-go to get the meeting off the ground and to be another fine fund-raising success for Carlos.

The Carlos Villar Committee would like to express their extreme thanks to Berwick Borough Council, the S.C.B and the B.S.P.A. for their rapid response with clearing this event. Without such excellent cooperation the event could not go ahead. Many thanks all concerned.

It is likely to be a Four-Team Championship most probably contested by Berwick, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Each team will have their best three riders available plus an Elite league guest to race over 16 heats of action plus three reserve heats followed by a competition for the Carlos Villar Trophy.

Due to the large number of heats and the 9.30 curfew it means the parade of riders will start at 6.45pm prompt, instead of the more usual 7.00 pm.

The night before the race meeting, a "horse race" night will be held at East Ord Caravan Park. Again all profits to Carlos, and preceding that the Grove Pub in Tweedmouth will be holding a "Carlos night" on Saturday February 14th.

The huge auction of highly desirable speedway memorabilia including an entire speedway bike will be held at the Berwick Rugby Club in Scremerston (provisional venue ... to be confirmed), three miles south of the town of Berwick upon Tweed on a date in March or April, soon to be announced.