Glenn Kirk wants to return to top level bike racing despite losing a leg.

The 22-year-old from Hailsham is planning to defy the odds by getting back on a race track before the end of the year.

Kirk is already looking towards getting back into British Championship racing.

It was last June when Kirk suffered an horrendous crash in a British Junior Superstock round at Snetterton which resulted in him losing his lower left leg.

He continues to undergo operations as a result of the injury and is still waiting to get an artificial leg. Remarkably, though, Kirk has already been on a bike.

He said: "I am continuing to have plastic surgery to rebuild my leg. I have another operation coming up and then I need to learn to walk again.

"I am having a leg made for me in Germany out of titanium.

"I have already been on a bike, although somewhat awkwardly. It was a case of learning to stop and remembering to put me right leg down."

Kirk loves racing and had a promising career ahead of him before the accident. He had just secured a major sponsor which would have allowed him to compete in this year's European Superstock Championship.

He is remarkably philosophical about the accident.

He said: "It was at Snetterton on June 3. I hit the deck at 165mph and got tangled up with another bike.

"The other guy got a bruised arm and my leg got trapped between both bikes. It was a bit of a nightmare but that's racing.

"If I had lost my leg in a car accident driving to work I would have found it a lot harder to get over.

"With racing, you know the risks. It was something I loved doing. Accidents happen and this was a nasty one but at least I didn't lose my head. I will give it another go.

"It has been hard for my family but they are behind me."

Kirk had worked as a tree surgeon before the accident. Now he has teamed up with his dad Terry, who runs PDM Racing in Bexhill.

Together they will build track-day bikes and race bikes, and are also entering a team into the British Supersport Championship with James Buckingham from Devon as the rider.

Kirk said: "It was all right when I was racing because everyone knew us then. In the racing world you have to keep your nose in and your name known. That is why we are doing this.

"James is 18 and he is quick. He was third in the Junior Superstock last year. We hope we can produce a bike quick enough to keep James with the leaders."

Keeping the name PDM Racing in the racing spotlight will help Glenn's bid to return to the track and that could be sooner rather than later.

He said: "I will be going back in a clubman championship and see how I fare and whether I still want to do it.

"I can't see myself not wanting to do it but we shall see.

"If I feel competitive enough and I have the confidence to get back into it I will be looking to compete in the British Championship in 2005 or maybe at the end of 2004.

"I will definitely go out and take a ride this year but whether I can race I don't know.

"I dare say, though, I will be able to race before I can run."

BRITAIN'S five-times Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Derek Bell is set to drive Audi's latest 190mph saloon car in America.

The Sussex driver is likely to contest selected races in this year's ten-race World GT Challenge Championship and has no intention of hanging up his helmet despite turning 61.

Bell, from Pagham, said: "I'm racing with my son Justin in the Daytona 24 Hours later this month and although I'm going to be kept busy with my Le Mans work for Bentley until June, I desperately want to drive Audi's latest RS 6.

"I've driven for Champion Racing for the past three years with my team-mate Mike Galati who has won two titles. Randy Pobst will drive the other RS 6 full time this year but I'm hopeful Audi and Champion can organise a third car for me on occasions.

"I feel fighting fit and am just as enthusiastic about motor racing as I was when I started over 40 years ago."