JAMES Shanes is hoping to find another team to help him sharpen his racing skills – and the Pirates reserve is attracting admiring glances from the SGB Championship.

The Daily Echo understands Sheffield and Peterborough have held talks with the Puddletown-based youngster, who is in the midst of his maiden top-flight campaign with Poole.

It is believed the Tigers and the Panthers are the leading contenders to secure Shanes's signature, although Berwick and Newcastle are also thought to have made enquiries.

Shanes is open to a move to either a Championship or National League club and wants to thrash out a deal with prospective employers at the earliest opportunity.

He told the Daily Echo: "I'm trying desperately to find another team because I just don't have enough meetings at the minute. I'll have three meetings in three days and then a couple of weeks off.

"Those breaks are a killer because I get back on a bike and it's back to square one.

"I've been in talks with a couple of Championship clubs to try to sort a deal out but there is nothing in the National League yet."

At the beginning of May, Ipswich's director of speedway Chris Louis revealed the club had "thrown everything" into trying to sign Shanes after he impressed for the Witches during a guest booking against Glasgow.