Tony Atkin was the pick of a trio of Newport riders competing in the indoor ice speedway meeting at Telford on Sunday, writes Neil Evans.

Atkin retained his Speedway Star Best Pairs championship with Edward Kennett and led England to a 40-31 win over the Rest of the World during the afternoon session before a mixed bag in the evening's British Open Championship when his bike caught fire in the opening race.

"That was a bit of a hairy moment" he said. "I just squeezed by someone as we crossed the finishing line and the bike suddenly caught fire.

"The bike cover was alight and then riders and mechanics rushed over throwing ice on to it trying to put it out. Thankfully it was put out fairly quickly but I couldn't use it afterwards and I'm grateful to the likes of Tom Brown for letting me borrow his bike."

The afternoon session was marred by two injuries and was reduced from 13 to 12 heats.

Craig Branney slammed into the second turn boarding and suffered a suspected broken leg in heat 11 while David Howe suffered a badly gashed ankle after his foot got jammed in the back wheel as he and Martin Smolinski tangled in heat 12.

"It's very unusual to see injuries here at Telford and they were both quite nasty" added Atkin, who scored 7+4 in a solid England performance.

Wasps team mate Marek Mroz took time to adjust to the ice and fell in his first race before scoring 2+1 from his next three rides for the Rest of the World side.

"It is hard but I like" he said with some difficulty after the event.

The British Open Champion-ship was won by Martin Smolinski who scored 14 points, two more than Wayne Broad-hurst.

Edward Kennet took third place with 11 points.

Defending champion Broad-hurst, who has won the Championship four times, had won his first four races in style and was leading heat 20 when he drifted out a fraction and Smolinski dived up the inside.

"I didn't touch him and it was unfortunate that he went down" said Smolinski who is without a British club this coming season.

"I'm just so pleased to have won this championship to show the British public what I can do."

Broadhurst added: "I made a mistake and went off the line. It's very disappointing but he (Smolinski) has been going well all day and I gave it my best shot."

Nick Simmons scored two points from his five outings.

England 40: D Howe 12, S Tacey 1, E Kennett 3+2, T Atkin 7+4, W Broadhurst 8, J Hargreaves 6, C Branney 3.

Rest of the World 31: P Morris 7+1, L Priest 1+1, M Mroz 2+1, J Franc 0, M Smolinski 10+1, T Brown 7, M Hlavacek 4+1.

British Open Championship: M Smolinski 14, W Broadhurst 12, E Kennett 11. (T Atkin 7, M Mroz 4, N Simmons 2).