THERE may not be a Hammers fixture to whet the appetite of the growing army of Essex speedway fans this week, but the new promotional team are not taking a breather. In what is believed to be the first use of this imaginative advertising medium for a British Speedway team, The Lakeside Hammers can be seen cruising the streets of East London and Essex supersized on the back of a double decker bus.

The idea came about when new Hammers boss, Stuart Douglas, noticed fans alighting from the complimentary bus service to the race track offered by regional bus operator and team sponsor, Blue Triangle Buses Ltd.

"The back of the bus is so big, and travels all round the area where our fans, and potential fans, live and work. I knew it would create a bit of a buzz because you rarely see something as exciting as a wheelying speedway bike sitting in front of you in the traffic. I talked to Blue Triangle, and we were able to sort something out. "

The free bus service bringing fans to the Arena Essex Raceway, where the Hammers race, operates in the Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster area, and runs to every home fixture.

"I would love to extend the idea," said Douglas. " It would be great if we could get an arrangement going in places like Southend and Basildon, maybe even over the river in Dartford, bringing fans to the track, but also seeing these great speedway images on the streets getting noticed by so many members of the general public."