NEWS: Heckmondwike’s Stewart Webster loses brave battle with cancer

Founder member and former Heckmondwike rider Stewart Webster has sadly passed away.

The news was broken on Facebook page “i was a or still am a cycle speedway rider !!!!” webpage earlier this week.

Patrick Beacock wrote, “Sad news has filtered through that former Heckmondwike rider Stewart Webster has passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. A founder member of the club, other founder members would recall how Stewart was the first in the club to get a car (prior to which, transport to away matches was a combination of catching buses and riding cycle speedway bikes on the public roads to away tracks).

Despite suffering a very badly broken ankle in a horror smash at Firth Park, Stewart was a tough, uncompromising competitor on the track in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and was also an enthusiastic team manager and referee. After a few seasons in near-total retirement from riding, an intense winter training programme saw him make a successful comeback to the powerful Heckmondwike first team in 1990, before retiring at the end of the season.”

We send our condolences to Stewart’s friends and family at this sad time. If you have any memories of Stewart that you would like to share, we will be happy to publish them.