MALCOLM Simmons faced his fair share of battles riding for Pirates in the seventies.

But he has faced his toughest challenge over the past two months after having two major lung operations since December.

Simmons, now 61, enjoyed almost celebrity status when he led the Poole side from 1975 to 1980 during the sport's golden era, winning the British Championship in 1976 and finishing runner-up in the world final in Poland the same year.

But "Super Simmo" - as he is affectionately known - was the first English patient to receive a radical new lung bypass in December following experimental trials in Brazil.

However, the treatment failed and left Simmo in agony.

He returned to the same Royal Brompton hospital in London last month to have a second, five-hour op to reverse the process.

Simmons told the Echo last night: "I accept I was a guinea pig for the treatment.

"I'm suffering from emphysema after a lifetime of smoking cigarettes.

"The treatment just didn't work for me. My body rejected it and there was a poisonous reaction that left me feeling extremely under the weather.

"Prior to the op, I was told if the treatment worked I would show immediate signs of feeling better.

"But I felt 10 times worse than I did before having the op.

"They also had to take half an inch off one of my ribs before they could insert the half-inch diameter plastic tubing pipe into me - a tracheostomy almost.

"So the broken rib left me feeling extremely poorly."

Simmons, who clocked up almost 3,000 points in his six seasons at the club, spoke to the Echo after returning from a break in Lanzarote.

He added: "I feel refreshed after the holiday. But I'm back to square one regarding my problem.

"My breathing difficulties stopped me riding grasstrack two years ago.

"I absolutely adore riding bikes - grasstrack or road racing - so it's terribly frustrating to have to sit it out with this. But there's nothing I can do.

"I'm pleased I've tried this treatment. If I hadn't done it, I would have been forever wondering whether it would have worked for me.

"But now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there is another cure around the corner.

"I am also hoping to build up a bit of weight again. I am now under 10 stone which is the lightest I have been since I rode at West Ham in 1968!"

Simmons will be taking his place among the throng of past and present Pirates to commemorate the club's 60th anniversary at their Gala Dinner at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, March 8.

He will also be one of the VIP guests at Poole's Diamond Jubilee meeting - with a record-breaking £60,000 to the winner - the following afternoon.

Simmons said: "I'm really looking forward to the weekend and proud to be invited.

"It's an incredible first prize and if I didn't have my breathing problems, I would have loved to have been invited to ride ... even at 61!

"Mind you, knowing me, if I won the meeting and took the cheque home, I'd probably spend the lot within 24 hours. But it would be good fun.

"It's a brilliant idea and is sure to be one of the meetings of the year."

  • Tickets for Poole's Diamond Jubilee meeting on Sunday, March 9 at 3pm can only be obtained via the BIC Box Office - 0871 111 3000.

This meeting is not being televised, so Pirates' management are advising supporters to obtain tickets at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

Fans who obtain tickets to the Diamond meeting will be entitled to a discount for the team's first home meeting of the season against Lakeside on March 12.