TWO former Canterbury boys who became world speedway stars have signed for Arena-Essex Hammers.

Former world champion Mark Loram and world long track racer Paul Hurry will compete for the Purfleet-based team as they step up next season from the Premier League to the Sky Sports Elite League.

Loram, 32, was world champion in 2000 and has competed in the Grand Prix Series since its inception in 1995. He finished in the top 10 every year except this year when he was forced to miss three meetings due to injury.

Loram, a former pupil of St Stephen’s Primary School and the Frank Hooker School (now Canterbury High), and a child mascot for the Kingsmead-based Canterbury Crusaders, started his speedway career in 1987 as a 16-year-old with Hackney.

He later rode with a number of clubs, latterly Eastbourne, but injury ruined his 2003 season.

Hurry, 27, first rode as a 16-year-old for Arena-Essex in 1991 and has since ridden for five other clubs. He is also an accomplished rider on the grass and regularly competes in the World Longtrack Championships.

Hurry, born in Canterbury, has been a regular in the England team but he saw out the end of last season on the injury list.

His last visit to Purfleet was in July when he rode for Ipswich against the Hammers in a British League Cup match.