The gruesome scars on Tim Dixon’s left thigh recently were more akin to a great white shark attack than a fall from a motorbike.

They were in fact the result of a crash during an ice speedway training session on a frozen lake in Sweden.

During the month of February, before the onset of coronavirus throughout the UK and mainland Europe, Dixon spent three weeks training and racing in Sweden and Germany with the OMK Rondbuna team.

They first attended a Swedish Cup meeting in �rnsköldvik on February 15, followed the next day by the final match in the Swedish Ice Speedway League at the town of Bollnäs.

OMK Rondbuna won the meeting and are now Swedish League gold medal winners for 2020.

’I’m very surprised to win a gold medal in my first competitive season,’ said the Foxdale all-rounder who has spent most of his years as a sidecar passenger (see photo below).

A couple of days later the team arrived at a frozen lake local to them for five days training. But midway through day one Tim hit what the Swedish riders describe as ’double ice’ in the corner and came off.

’The end result was an ambulance ride to hospital and 20 stitches in my thigh after being hit by the rear wheel of my own bike [complete with up to 240 one-inch spikes!],’ he explained.

’It was a bit of scratch,’ quipped Tim yesterday.

’Seriously though, I have to admit that I was very lucky to get away with what I got. My leathers were completely ripped out on the left leg.’

Despite what looked like a horrific injury, he was soon back on his feet and nine days later the team travelled to Berlin to compete in the German Ice Speedway Championships.

’My sponsor, Simon Reitsma of the Netherlands, didn’t want me to ride but I knew that I was okay and I ended up getting three points from the meeting for three third places. I was very pleased with my performance there, under the circumstances.

’This was only my third proper meeting and there is no doubt I’m getting quicker.’

The team was to have travelled to Holland for the Roelof Thijs Bookal meeting at Heerenveen on April 3 but, not surprisingly, it was cancelled.

The final two rounds of the World Cup series were lost, as was the European championship.

Tim is now looking forward to next winter and returning to ride in what is a highly-dangerous, but thoroughly thrilling form of motorsport.