DAVE LANNING, Speedway's television voice on ITV throughout the golden age of the sport during the Seventies and Eighties, is making a nostalgic return to his roots as meeting presenter at Poole on Thursday for Pirates' home league clash with Belle Vue.

Lanning, 66, now semi-retired and living locally in a property enjoying panoramic views of the Purbeck Hills, is still one of the regular voices alongside Sid Waddell in darts' phenomenally popular Sky Sports coverage.

Incredibly, Lanning will be celebrating his 50th anniversary of speedway World championship/Grand Prix involvement next year.

He told the Daily Echo: "I covered my first World final in 1955 as a cub reporter for the Evening Echo as it was then called and was even a media man at the World Championships between 1956 and 1958 when I was on National Service.

"I recently concluded a DVD of the latest British Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium alongside Kelvin Tatum in the commentary box, which made it 49 consecutive years of being involved media wise in the sport's major finals."

Lanning, a journalist who cut his teeth at the Poole and Dorset Herald before heading to London in a 28-year career at TV Times as well as working for 20 years as speedway correspondent for The Sun, also attended Poole's first meeting back in 1948 at the age of 10.

"The old place was packed and as a 10-year old local lad going to Poole Speedway each week was a permanent fixture.

"Of course much has changed, but going back to the stadium brings back a lot of great memories.

"Having attended Poole Grammar, I still run into kids I went to school with who are now 60-year-old blokes."

Lanning was first handed a microphone at Poole Speedway in 1958 by then Pirates promoter Vic Gooden.

Joked the former ITV man: "Vic's got a lot to answer for.

"Funnily enough, I don't remember anything about that first night. I must have been okay because nobody complained!

"I genuinely see the Poole speedway fans as something of a reunion.

"They are like old friends and are always pleased to see me.

"I have worked in something like 100 major stadiums in 30 different countries covering speedway, but there is nothing quite like coming home."

Ironically, Lanning will introduce a Belle Vue side including World champion in waiting Jason Crump, a rider whose UK manager is Phil Lanning, Dave's youngest son.

Lanning senior added: "Phil helps Jason and Gary Havelock administratively, but his main role is with Rupert Murdoch's Sun empire as deputy motoring editor for the group.

"My eldest lad, Russell, enjoyed unparalleled success as promoter at Eastbourne and Wimbledon in the Eighties and is now an integral figure in the sports department at The Mail on Sunday in Kensington.

"Both are involved in the day to day Fleet Street life but, like their old man, have not lost their love of speedway."

Speedway's "Big Dave", "Mr TV" or "Verbal Diarrhoea" - some of his more and less affectionate nicknames during his pomp - is bound to receive quite a reception back at Wimborne Road on Thursday evening (September 9).