PIRATES boss Neil Middleditch is vigorously backing Bjarne Pedersen's call for mandatory safety air fences - not just in Sweden but at speedway tracks all across the world.

Pedersen, Poole Castle Cover's captain, pleaded in the Echo for all Swedish tracks to have air fences in place for 2009 after escaping injury in a horrendous tumble at Eskilstuna.

Now Middleditch is calling for all tracks - including British Premier and Conference league ones - to have them installed.

Currently, only the British Elite and Polish leagues have made air fences mandatory in a bid to minimise serious injury to riders in crashes.

Pedersen's call came after ex-Ipswich rider Kim Jansson was paralysed from the chest down in a nasty spill at Eskilstuna three days before the Dane's accident, which also ruled Lakeside's Jonas Davidsson out for the season.

Former Pirates rider Middleditch, now the club's team manager, said: "I've been shouting from the rooftops for every speedway track to have air fences.

"We're never going to eradicate injuries in speedway, but if we can reduce riders getting hurt (and seriously injured in Kim's case) and have the technology to help, then it's got to be put in place at all circuits.

"I believe speedway is the most dangerous motor sport.

"Unlike any other, there is no run-off area before impact. The fence comes up very quickly and without brakes you have no way of slowing down quickly.

"That's why I feel the air fence-barrier has been the greatest addition. Giving a rider that cushion is such a massive help.

"In the past few years I've seen some horrendous crashes into air fences and riders have got up and walked away, and we've all commented how grateful we are it saved serious injury.

"If Sweden make air fences compulsory next year as a result of recent accidents I'll be absolutely delighted.

"But I'd like to see the Premier and Conference league tracks in this country all have air fences too.

"With no disrespect, riders of lesser experience in those divisions, on average, are going to crash more than in the Elite.

"So it would seem pretty logical to help them as much as possible.

"No doubt critics will grizzle on at me there's a cost issue and clubs cannot afford the fences. That really annoys me.

"My argument is you cannot put a price on suffering an injury like Kim's or Lawrence Hare or some of my best friends like Joe Owen or Steve Weatherley, who are in wheelchairs today.

"I'm not suggesting for one moment the four I've mentioned would have all been walking today if they had an air fence.

"But it would make me feel better to know as a speedway family' we had every safety plan in place to help them.

"Let's do it and make speedway safer at all levels."