Central Park could be hosting speedway meetings within months after work began on installing a track at the Sittingbourne venue.

Machinery moved in at the stadium – which currently hosts three greyhound meetings per week – on Monday to begin work on a speedway track inside the dog track.

Stadium manager Keith Hougham said: "There is a lot of work to be done but we have made a start."

The first work to take place was pilot drilling on the area which will eventually form the track, while among the developments which will have to take place before the inaugural meeting are the development of the pits and access to the course under the existing greyhound track.

"It’s important to show that something is happening," said Mr Hougham. "The site has been pegged out for six weeks but now the diggers have moved in.

"Roger Cearns (managing director of speedway promoter, Cearnsport, pictured) is keen to get the track in place. Once it is complete, it will be an asset to Central Park and Sittingbourne.

"While a lot of work is ahead of us, the plan is to have everything up and running to enable a couple of invitation events to be held later this year."