Blue plaque celebrating the life of Wyberton motorcyle Dickie Dale hero unveiled

A blue plaque commemorating a village’s racing hero has been unveiled.

Wyberton Parish Council have placed the commemorative sign on the former home of motorcycle ace Richard H Dale, known as Dickie.

“Dickie Dale’s racing career was from 1945 until 1961 and he quickly became the UK’s top team rider,” said Coun Richard Austin, who featured the life of the rider in his 1999 book From the Romans to B&Q - A History of Wyberton.

“He was first the lead rider in the Norton team and later with Moto Guzzi.

“Dickie was killed in an accident whilst leading a race on a wet day on the notoriously difficult Nurburgring in Germany.”

The plaque reads: “Richard H Dale, Aka: Dickie Dale. Born 25-04-1927, Died: 30-041961. Grand Prix Motorcycle Racer, Road Racer 1949-1955.

Dale bought his first bike, an AJS Silver Streak, when stationed at RAF Cranwell in 1945 after being drafted into the air force in 1945.

During his six-year career he took part in the first-ever Grand Prix motorcycle racing season in 1949 before winning the 1951 North West 200 and claiming the Mettet Grand Prix invitational race twice in 1957 and 1960.

Dale also collected two runners-up places in the 1955 and 1956 350cc world championship, pipped on both occasions by Moto Guzzi teammate Bill Lomas.

Tragically, he died on the way to hospital in a helicopter in 1961 - just five days after his 34th birthday - after crashing during the 1961 Eifelrennen race in West Germany.

The building hosting the plaque is now the Boston Dental Centre on Saundergate Lane.