Video and pictures: Top motorbike stunt rider in plea for Telford practice site

Josh Turner says he is in danger of losing his UK number two status after being banned from using his usual practice ground.

For months Josh has been turning heads at Shaw Road car park in Bushbury, Wolverhampton – but the long arm of the law put a stop to the displays on nuisance and safety grounds following complaints from local businesses and residents.

Now he is desperate to find a new place to train and after failing to find anywhere suitable in his home city.

He already uses a small piece of land in Telford and is hoping to find somewhere a little larger in Shropshire that he can make his regular training base.

The 32-year-old mechanic, who took up stunt riding seven years ago, has wowed competition crowds all over the country with his exhibitions of wheelies, stoppies and drifting.

But last week he was filmed performing stunts in Shaw Road by a police officer who put the footage online with a warning that public land was not to be used for stunt riding.

Now Josh is appealing for someone to come forward with the offer of an alternative practice site.

He said: "I don't blame the police, they're just doing their job and to be fair, I've used the car park for quite a while and they've not said anything, so there's no hard feelings.

"It's just a shame that residents have complained. If they'd come to me, I'd have kept the RPMs down a little bit. I've put on a quieter exhaust but there's not a lot else I can do.

"I think the real problem is that drivers pull up on the roadside to watch and that can cause traffic problems."

Josh, who lives in Wolverhampton with girlfriend Monika Koch, 22, the country's top female stunt rider, tries to practice every day after finishing work at his father's garage nearby.

Aware that neighbours might not appreciate his high-rev tricks, he has asked various firms with suitable premises whether he can use their land but without success.

A friend in Telford allows him to train on his business premises but Josh says it's a long way to go on a regular basis.

"It's a bit small but I do use it at the weekends sometimes. It's a shame because the Shaw Lane car park is ideal. It's mainly used on match days and is mostly empty on weekday evenings.

"The European riders we compete against don't seem to have this problem in their countries and the top UK rider Lee Bowers is allowed to train at Santa Pod Raceway in Northampton, where a lot of the competitions are held. Finding a place to practice is a growing problem."

Anyone who can provide a practice track for Josh can contact him on his Facebook page facebook.com/jtstunt