Former Eastbourne Eagles speedway boss Bob Dugard has died at the age of 76.

Dugard rode for, managed, promoted, financed and was the driving force behind the Arlington club.

While taking a backward step in recent seasons, he remained an owner of Arlington Stadium.

He was also a hands-on director of the well-known family machine tools business in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, until the time of his death.

A robust, outspoken and energetic figure, he had suffered declining health in recent years, undergoing heart surgery and battling against cancer.

But he remained a regular visitor to speedway meetings, where his son Martin and grandson Connor have taken over the running of the club.

Martin told The Argus: “I would hope people accept that he was Mr Eastbourne Speedway and kept the speedway going all these years.

“No matter what he says and what anyone else says, I know it would have closed a long time ago without him.”

Bob lived with his wife Margaret near Hove Park and had three children, a step daughter and five grandchildren.

As well as Eastbourne, he also ran speedway clubs at Oxford and White City earlier in his long career.