Workington Comets legend Carl Stonehewer has been back in town for a major meeting – but there wasn’t a speedway bike in sight.
Instead the former Comet had returned to West Cumbrian for his wedding to Workington fan Alison Turnbull.
The couple, who met through speedway, both live in Manchester now but had returned to Cockermouth for their wedding, followed by celebrations at the Waverley Hotel, always the main meeting place for Comets riders and supporters.
A number of Stoney’s former mechanics were there – Ian Slater, Andy Mellish, Nick Thorp, Geoff Powell, dad Bryan Stonehewer, Tony Wedgewood and Graeme Hogg as well as ex-riders Garry Stead, Sean Wilson and Frank Killeen.
Stoney, who made more appearances for the Comets than any other, was the first UK rider from the second tier of British Speedway to qualify for the Speedway Grand Prix and rode in three series 2000, 2001 and 2002.
For the Comets he competed in a record 361 matches during which he had 1,859 rides during which he scored 4,271 and a half points and 227 bonus points.
He collected five Premier League Pairs Championship titles, four of them with the Comets and with four different partners – 1999 with Brent Werner; 2000 with Mick Powell; 2001 with Peter Karlsson and 2003 with Simon Stead. He was also voted the Cumbria Sports Personality of the Year in 2001.
Carl and Alison have been an item since 2016 and she moved down to Manchester to live with her daughter Kelly the following year.
Carl had taken his HGV licence after retiring from speedway in 2009, while Alison had worked at Tesco and the Melbreak Hotel in West Cumbria.
Now he is employed as a driver for Invopak while Alison works for house builders Stewart Milnes Homes and after 18 months on reception was promoted to the role of customer service administrator.
Carl’s son Beau, who is in the Royal Navy based in Plymouth, travelled nine hours to be best man to his dad and then another nine hours to go back afterwards. Alison’s daughters Kelly and Chloe were bridesmaids.
