A FUNDRAISING page has been set up to help a young speedway rider who was injured in a 'horror crash' whilst racing for the Workington Comets earlier this week.

Tate Zischke, a young Australian Workington Comets and Belle Vue Aces speedway star, was involved in a crash at Manchester on Monday, July 1 whilst racing for the Belle Vue Aces.

Tate was making his debut for Premiership side after impressing their management team riding for the Workington Comets in the Championship.

He is currently in Manchester Royal Hospital and scans and tests have revealed that he has broken a number of vertebrae and ribs.

A fundraising page has been set up by Workington Comets Supporters club chairman James Wilson and Phillip Mullard to help Tate for his travel back to Australia, when able, and for his family to be able to travel to the UK to visit him in hospital.

Any remaining funds will be used to help repair his riding equipment and bike which were damaged in the crash.

Speaking about the page, James Wilson said: "We were thinking how can we help Tate after this. It's obviously a big accident and his bike was totally wrote off as well in the crash which costs thousands of pounds, and we thought, how can we help out?

"Initially (funds) to try and help his mam to get over from Australia to get to see him, also to help with any costs while she is over here and, in the long term, to get him back on the bike.

"We know that speedway is a really close knit community, and everyone supports the riders, whether they ride for your team, other teams or whoever."

James was at the stadium in Manchester alongside Andrew who is the co-promoter for Workington Comets, with another man who had also travelled down to watch Tate.

James said: "For me personally it was shocking to see, because he was racing for Belle Vue, so he had stepped up to the top league and was trying his hardest, and in one second everything changes.

"Ambulances were out and everything. It's just not a nice thing really, you feel sick to the stomach because he is such a young lad trying his hardest."

Andrew has thanked the many people who has donated and shared the Go Fund Me page supporting page and for the many well wishes Tate has received following the crash.