Eastbourne Eagles have signed Australian star Adam Shields in a £10,000 deal.

Shields, who rode for Eagles this year on loan from the Isle of Wight, will join the club on a full contract basis next season.

Eastbourne boss Jon Cook said: "I'm absolutely delighted. This has been a mission of mine for the past three years, and I'm confident that over the next three or four seasons Adam will establish himself as the No. 1 rider at Eastbourne."

The 26-year-old rider from Kurri-Kurri, New South Wales, who paid his own way to England for a crack at the big time, hit the headlines last season with a spectacular 21-point paid maximum for Eagles at Ipswich.

He said: "Eastbourne are a big part of my future and I think there is a hell of a lot of improvement to come."

Shields, who won the Premier League riders championship in 2002 and was runner-up this year, will also ride next season in Sweden, but the move means Eagles will have first call on his services in England.

The Sussex club have also agreed terms for next season with Finnish star Joonas Kylmakorpi, who has been voted Eastbourne's rider of the year by the fans.

Eagles also hope to retain world champion Nicki Pedersen, but no firm decisions on the make-up of the rest of the team will be made until after this month's promoters' conference in Tenerife.

Cook said: "I am going there with an open mind.

"At the moment it looks as though there will be a lower points limit next season and restrictions on the top two riders."

Swindon, who have just been bought by Eastbourne promoter Terry Russell, are planning to move up to the Elite League, while another Premier League side, Arena Essex, are also expected to join the top flight.