The ever-smiling 29-year-old from Buckinghamshire fractured two vertebrae after a heart-stopping crash at Berwick last July.

Hume was skippering the Bandits when he was sent cartwheeling down Shielfield Park’s home straight after colliding with the machine of Edinburgh’s Jonatan Grahn.

Surgeons in Newcastle inserted two metal rods and four screws to stabilise his back but a delay in removing the metalwork means Hume can only look on from the sidelines as the new season begins.

“Initially they planned to remove the rods in December. That gave me January to recover and two months to get some practice in before the season started,” Danyon told Greg Blair on Berwick Speedway’s Total Access podcast.

“But the operation keeps getting pushed back – which I totally understand as the NHS is busy – but it will happen and I will be back racing in 2026.

“I have been told in no uncertain terms not to get on a speedway bike until the rods are removed.

“If I crashed again it would be game over. I know how close I came to being paralysed and certainly would never risk it – no matter how frustrating that is.”

Hume, who has also ridden for Redcar, Glasgow, Ipswich and Sheffield, has no qualms about resuming his racing career despite the severity of the crash and the long road to recovery which followed.

“Anything can happen at any point, you just accept that as a rider,” he said.

“It was a freak, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. All four of us were in contention on the last corner, Jonatan was hanging off the back of his bike and I knew he wasn’t going to make it and cut to the inside off the last bend.

“Suddenly I had a choice of either hitting Jonatan or his bike. You have less than a second to react.

“I knew straight away it was bad but hats off to the Berwick medical staff and management for making sure that I was treated properly.”

The derby clash was abandoned as Hume underwent lengthy examination on-track before being taken by ambulance the 56-mile journey to Berwick’s nearest A&E department at Cramlington.

He was subsequently transferred to Newcastle’s RVI hospital and underwent surgery on his back. And it is to Newcastle Hume will return to have the rods removed.

“The surgeon did a fantastic job not only with the operation but in advising me on rehabilitation and recovery,” Danyon explained.

“I want him to complete the job, which will also let me visit Berwick.

“Jamie Courtney and Stewart Dickson have put together a fantastic team. It is very solid but most of the riders can put points on their average.

“I’m gutted not to be a part of it but I’ll still be rooting for them. The Bandits are very much my team now.”

Berwick stages its Press and Practice night on Friday, March 27 with riders on-track from 6.15pm and then moving to the Black and Gold for Greg Blair’s Meet the 2026 Bandits launch night which is expected to start around 8.30pm. Entry to both events is by donation.

Berwick open their season with a trip to Edinburgh in the BSN Series on April 3 with the sides meeting again in the Shielfield Park opener the following evening.

Words by Berwick Speedway – Images Taylor Lanning (profile)/Taz McDougall (action)

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The 24-year-old, who won the Northern Territory State Championship late last year, will be making his British debut with the Borders’ side.

An accomplished all-round motorcycle racer, Battye competed in SuperSport and Superbikes both nationally and internationally before switching to shale, catching the eye of former GP rider Craig Boyce among others since making the move.

Born in Bermagui, New South Wales, Battye was also active on the ultra-competitive Australian dirt track scene which has been a proving ground for the likes of Sam Masters and Josh Pickering over the years.
Reid arrives in the Borders on a four-point average and will start alongside Jack Smith at reserve for the new season.

Battye competed in all four rounds of the recently completed Australian National Championship – win by Jack Holder – scoring 19 points over the four rounds.

The R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS, have also signed Peter Kildemand, Nick Morris, Victor Palovaara, Lasse Fredriksen and Jye Etheridge as they revamp their team having missed the 2025 play-offs by just two points.

Bandits team manager Stewart Dickson said: “In an interview with Greg Blair on the club’s Total Access channel before Christmas I told Berwick fans that we were taking our time so we could make the right decision on the final piece in our 2026 team.

“Of the four riders we were considering Reid pushed himself to the front of the queue with some impressive performances in Australia.

“He might be young in terms of speedway experience, and has never ridden in a team sport before, but he has a lot of racing experience under his belt in other disciplines.

“I believe that along with club owner Jamie Courtney and co-promoters Steve Dews and Sarah Bulman, I have put together a team that will be challenging on all three fronts in 2026 and one that the supporters will get behind.”

Words by Berwick Speedway 

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Wooler-based R.E.D Campers have confirmed they will be the headline sponsors for a second season with another Northumbrian firm, STS re-signing as the club’s powered-by backer.

R.E.D Campers is a family-run firm which creates bespoke units – permanent and removable – which turns a basic van into a home-away-from home at an affordable price. They also perform full conversions on vans and larger motorhomes in addition to 4x4s.

Choppington-based Stakeford Tyre Services supplies and fits alloy wheels and a range of tyres including motorcycle and off-road tyres, offering both a drive-in and an online booking service.

Berwick owner, Jamie Courtney, said: “I’m delighted to announce that we will once again be known as the R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS and thank both locally-based companies for their continued backing.

“As with so many of our valued sponsors here at Berwick, it’s not just a case of handing over money as both R.E.D and STS have very much become part of the Berwick speedway family.

“Sponsorship is invaluable when it comes to keep the bikes racing at Shielfield Park.”

Peter Kildemand, Nick Morris, Victor Palovaara, Lasse Fredriksen, Jye Etheridge and Jack Smith have already been signed for the new season with the seventh and final member of the team due to be announced soon.

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The Newcastle, New South Wales native captains the Bandits for a second time, returning to Shielfield Park for an eighth season after spending 2025 with Workington.

Etheridge set up home in the Borders town shortly after joining the club in 2017 and with neither of last year’s incumbents – Danyon Hume and Drew Kemp – returning, was approached by Berwick team boss Stewart Dickson.

“We know Jye as a bubbly, energetic and dependable presence in the pits and I had no hesitation in offering him the captaincy,” Dickson said.

“He said he would be honoured to be the Bandits’ captain and cannot wait for the season to start.”

It will be Etheridge’s second spell at the helm having taken over the captaincy from countryman Aaron Summers during the 2021 season.

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Smith, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Wednesday, is the sixth rider revealed by the Borders’ side taking his place alongside 2025 team-mates Nick Morris and Peter Kildemand and winter signings Jye Etheridge, Victor Palovaara and Lasse Fredriksen.

He joined Berwick in May last year, initially as a 28-day replacement for Dane Bastian Borke and ended the season strongly, scoring paid 13 in his last Shielfield Park appearance, victory over Workington.

Smith’s average, after the British reduction, is 2.61 leaving Berwick with a fraction over four points to complete their seven for 2026.

Stoke-born Smith is the son of three-times British Champion and former GP rider Andy and has also ridden for Glasgow and Newcastle in addition to Belle Vue in both the National and Elite leagues.

Berwick team manager Stewart Dickson said: “Despite giving everyone a month’s head-start, Jack had a solid season with us in 2025 and put his name forward most forcibly with a double figure haul against Workington in the last home meeting of the season.

“He has a wealth of experience and the ability to improve on his current average as well as fitting in well in the pits.”

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He rejoins after spending 2025 at Workington, resuming an impressive career with the Borders’ club which has seen him score 798 points in Berwick colours – 600 at Shielfield Park alone – during his previous seven seasons.

Arriving in 2017 after short and unsuccessful spells at Edinburgh and Redcar, Etheridge is a former captain and number one of the Bandits and was voted the club’s Rider of the Year in each of his first three seasons.

Now aged 31, Etheridge hails from Newcastle, New South Wales, but lives just half a mile away from the pacy Borders circuit.

And he showed he still knows the fastest lines around the Shielfield Park raceway in 2025 with a paid 16 haul guesting for Edinburgh in the BSN Series and then paid seven, including a tapes exclusion when the Comets were well beaten Berwick’s last home fixture of the season.

He arrives on a 5.45 average to partner Peter Kildemand, Nick Morris, Victor Palovaara and Lasse Fredriksen and complete our top five for the new Championship campaign, leaving Berwick with 6.8 points to complete their starting seven.

Bandits’ team manager Stewart Dickson said: “We are well aware of what Jye brings to the engine room of the side and he was a name I had discussed with (club owner) Jamie Courtney and co-promoters Steve Dews and Sarah Bulman even before it became clear he didn’t figure in Workington’s plans for 2026.

“I believe we have assembled a top five which gives us strong pairings both home and away and a side capable of challenging in 2026.”

Words and Images courtesy of Berwick Speedway

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The 28-year-old switches to Northumberland having spent 2025 at Plymouth following three years as an Edinburgh Monarch.

Twice national champion, Fredriksen has been a regular in Norway’s Speedway of Nations team – partnering Mattias Pollestad in this year’s running at Torun, Poland – and has also competed in the GP Challenge and SEC qualifiers.

Fredriksen was initially named in the Edinburgh side for the Covid ruined 2020 season and, after suffering visa issues the following year, finally made it on-track in Britain in 2022.

Among his European success was an Allsvenskan title with Valsarna alongside another 2026 Bandit Palovaara in 2022.

Last season he continued to progress his average in Plymouth colours despite needing surgery on a knuckle damaged in the win over Poole at The Coliseum.

That injury meant he was missing when the Gladiators visited Shielfield Park but he has fond memories of the big Borders’ track.

Guesting for the injured Bastian Borke in 2024 Fredriksen racked up 6+2 against Oxford – a meeting which ended in a draw before Drew Kemp and Lewi Kerr secured a dramatic Super Heat triumph.

Team manager Stewart Dickson said: “Lasse is an experienced rider and will slot comfortably into our engine room.

“His knowledge of the smaller tracks will also hold him in good stead away from Shielfield Park.”

Words by Berwick Speedway – Image courtesy of Jack Cupido

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Morris re-signs after joining the Bandits in August last year as a replacement for injured skipper Danyon Hume.

The 31-year-old was available after completing a two-year ban for doping offences and, despite initial race rustiness and giving the rest of the league a four-month head start, was soon back among the points especially around the pacy Shielfield Park circuit.

It is Morris’s second spell as a Bandit – he capped his 2017 stint by lifting the Premier League Riders’ Championship – and he will start the campaign on a 6.86 average.

Morris doubled up with Sheffield on his return only for his season to end dramatically following a big crash racing in the Premiership play-off semi-final.

He is now fully recovered and preparing for the Australian season.

Bandits’ team manager Stewart Dickson said: “Considering the two-year lay-off and late start to the season, Nick did remarkably well in his short 2025 campaign.

“By the end of it he was somewhere near the Nick Morris we remembered from before his ban but, inevitably, his average dropped.

“Some may think he is a steal on such a low average – and I wouldn’t argue.

“With a full winter preparation we expect him to hit the ground running in 2026.”

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The super stylish Dane re-signs on an 8.05 average after a 2025 season which saw the two-time GP winner return to British speedway after an eight-year gap.
Kildemand ended the campaign in red-hot form, his first paid maximum in Berwick colours spearheading their closing day win at Workington.

The 36-year-old also raced for Oxford in the Premiership in 2025.

“Peter was a very popular and effective signing last year and we are delighted to have his name on a 2026 contract,” team manager Stewart Dickson said.

“In addition to his on-track performances, Peter was also a big character in the pits putting his experience at the top level to good use.”

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Nick Morris signed for the Borders’ club yesterday and will make his debut at Edinburgh next Friday (1 August), replacing Craig Cook at number one in a redeclared seven.

Dane Jonas Jeppesen put pen to paper on Monday as a replacement for injured skipper Danyon Hume and makes his debut in tonight’s Cab Direct Championship clash at Glasgow.

Club owner Jamie Courtney believes that the 31-year-old Australian and Jeppesen can push Berwick into the end of season play-offs.

“In previous years when we have suffered setbacks we have always tried to find replacements for injured and missing riders.

“But this season the stars have really aligned as first Jonas and then Nick were not only available but keen to join the Bandits’ cause.

“They are great replacements and will help us push on for that play-off place.”

It will be Morris’ second spell as a Bandit, having spent a hugely successful 2017 campaign with them which he topped off by winning the Premier League Riders’ Championship.

A Premier League winner with both Glasow and Scunthorpe and Elite League champion with Swindon, Morris’ career was put on hold after he chose not to take a drugs test at Birmingham in July 2023, later pleading guilty to a charge of failing to provide a specimen to anti-doping officials.

His ACU licence was suspended for two years, a ban which ended on 12 July this year.

The Canberra-born racer, who began his British career at Buxton in 2010,also rode for Leicester, Lakeside, Somerset, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

He will join Peter Kildemand, Drew Kemp and Jeppesen in a solid looking spearhead with Sam Hagon, Dayle Wood and Jack Smith also among the points for the Bandits who, going into this weekend’s double meeting with Glasgow, are unbeaten at home in the league.

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