PLYMOUTH Devils' teenage sensation Josh Dingle was nearly talked out of speedway by his mum, club boss Mike Bowden revealed today.

Fifteen-year-old Dingle's mum Jacky – a nurse – was worried her son would injure himself on barriers surrounding speedway circuits.

Bowden had to intervene to persuade Jacky to allow her son to ride for the Devils – and the rest could be history.

Dingle, riding at reserve, demonstrated his potential in last Friday's meeting at the St Boniface Arena, scoring six points, plus four bonus, from five rides.

Bowden said Dingle's mum had watched her son in action – and had accepted he was going to be a speedway rider.

He said: "Jacky was worried about Josh getting injured.

"She's got two other older boys, but Josh is the baby of the family and, being a nurse, you can understand her being worried about him getting hurt.

"But he's a very good prospect and we'll give him every opportunity to do well."

Bowden added: "Josh does grass track racing in Cornwall – his mum's a lap counter – and I just knew when I saw him that I wanted him to ride for the Devils."

Bowden said he had known Dingle's family from grass track racing for years and he had tried to reassure Jacky about her son's prospects.

He said: "She was worried about him injuring himself on the barriers around speedway tracks and wasn't happy about him going into speedway.

"However, when she saw him against Kings Lynn, she said, 'I suppose he's a speedway rider now'."

Dingle is not available for tonight's clash against Buxton Hitmen at the St Boniface Arena (7.30pm).

He is in Wales all weekend, competing in the Stars of Tomorrow event at the British Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Bowden made it clear, though, that Dingle will be in the Devils' team whenever he is available.

Dingle is allowed to compete at National League-level speedway, but is too young to have a public road driving licence.

That means either his mum or dad John driving him to events from their home near Newquay.

Both are sometimes hampered from doing so by work.

Bowden said: "I can totally understand that, but when he is available, he's in the team."

The Devils boss said he was confident his team could follow on from last Friday's 57-37 victory over Kings Lynn to defeat tonight's visitors.

A win for Plymouth tonight by seven points or more would see them move into the top four of the National League and into one of the play-off positions.

Bowden said: "I'm very happy with the way things are going so far – but it's the results at the end of the season which count."

Admission for tonight's meeting is £9 adults, £5 children aged eight to 16, and £6 OAPs aged 65 and over.

Children aged under-eight are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

A family ticket, which admits two adults and two children, costs £23. Programmes are priced at £2 each

Plymouth Devils: Mark Simmonds, Matt Bates, Kyle Hughes, Paul Starke, Seemond Stephens, Danny Stoneman, David Gough.

Buxton Hitmen: Lee Smethills, Danny Hodgson, Jade Mudgway, Gareth Isherwood, Scott James, AN Other, Craig Cook.