Young Wolves ace Tai Woffinden has revealed the magic ingredient that has helped him back to fitness – ice lollies.

The 18-year-old was initially ruled out of speedway for up to a month after a heavy crash at Ipswich last week.

Yet despite ligament damage he was in action the very next night for Wolves at Lakeside – with a little help from the track catering facilities.

He said: “It’s ligament damage to my thumb and shoulder. I couldn’t get any ice so I had ice lollies on the thumb. Fifteen minutes every hour, and 45 off.

“They’re sore but I’m having lots of painkillers and I’m keeping on top of it, so I’ll keep riding.

“I’ll train hard in the winter and build up the muscles round the ligaments and make them stronger.

” Try not to crash any more! I did have a crash in Poland (at the weekend) which hurt it again. But I’ll get on with it.”

Wolves are without an away match this week and team boss Peter Adams had hoped the lighter schedule might help the team’s assorted injured personnel in their quest for fitness by the time Ipswich arrive at Monmore on Monday.

But riders have to eat, and Woffinden felt well enough to guest for King’s Lynn against Birmingham on Wednesday in the Premier Trophy.

It also did him no harm to operate under the watchful eye of King’s Lynn team boss Rob Lyon, who is also the new Great Britain manager.

Woffinden is part of Lyon’s 12-strong GB squad from which he must name a five-man team for the summer’s World Cup.

He was in fine form at number one for the Stars, dropping just one point in a paid 14 score.

Curiously, Wolves number eight Joe Haines guested for Lynn at two, flourishing in partnership with Woffinden to rack up paid 11 against the Brummies in the 63-30 win.