AFTER 30 years of competitive cycle speedway, Bury-Pedalsport have got their first British Champion in Fred Rothwell, who lifted the grand veterans title at Astley and Tyldesley last Saturday.

For the 53-year-old fork lift truck service engineer, it brought to an end almost 40 years of frustrated efforts to win the much sought after champion's jersey.

The veterans championship at the Gin Pit track included four Bury riders, and the clubs best hope of overall success seemed to rest with Paul Dyson, who scored an impeccable maximum 20 points in his semi-final and was joined by Rothwell for the grand final.

John Whiting, with five points in the first semi, and Steve Mann, with six in the second, both struggled and were eliminated.

Two championships were at stake, the main over 40s veterans title and running concurrently with it, the grand veterans for over 50s, introduced just two years ago. Fourteen over 50s were in the original entry but for the final 16 all but five, including the defending champion, Birmingham's Bob Prince, had been eliminated.

Despite the presence of hot favourite for the over 40s, Jimmy Varnish of Wednesfield, riding in his first 'vets', things were still looking good for Dyson but Rothwell had his sights set firmly on the over 50s group.

The best laid plans seemed to have gone awry when as early as heat two, Dyson crashed to earth and brought Rothwell down with him. The referee had no option but to exclude Paul as the cause of the stoppage and Fred had another chance.

Varnish spectacularly put together a superb five ride maximum score to leave no doubt as to the overall winner.

Meanwhile Fred was quietly confident as the heats unfolded and after three rides had a two point cushion over his nearest rival, but at the last round of heats the pressure was back on.

Fred had 11 points, Chris Rickes of Hawbush had 10 and Astley's Frank Finnigan eight, both of these could better Fred's score in the closing stages.

Rothwell was having none of it. A superb start from grid two in heat 17 and a fine win over the younger over 40s Martin Gamble and Pat Beacock gave Fred four points and an unbeatable total of 15 points.

In the end Finnigan won his last ride to take runner-up with 12 points and Rickes had to make do with one point in fourth place behind the irrepressible Varnish, who clinched his own time ahead of Sandwell's Ivan Darby and took runner up in the over 40s.

Amazingly, five riders, including Fred Rothwell, had tied for third place overall with 15 points.

Sportsman Fred, delighted with his own victory, opted out to allow the other four to contest the run-off to avoid a complicated series of heats involving all five, but then one of the five who had suffered an injury in his last ride pulled out so Fred was back in.

Unfortunately, he drew grid three in a very tough race and the winner, taking third place overall, was Newport's Dave Murphy.

There could never have been a more proud and delighted champion than Fred as he stood to receive the award in his champion's jersey after a life-time of cycle speedway.

An illustrious racing career has taken him to America twice and Poland, as well as his England and Great Britain caps, there were three British open finals back in the 70s and more recently, five 'vets' finals before he achieved the success he may have thought had ended him.

For the record, Bury won their fours league match at Sheffield to keep their championship hopes alive.

Bury are away at Coventry on Sunday.