Tommy Hill has experienced the lows of motorsport and now he wants a taste of the high life.

The 16-year-old, who currently rides for the Angmering-based Roundstone Suzuki team, nearly lost his life to the sport in a bad accident two years ago.

But Hill, who lives on the Sussex border near East Grinstead, recovered from some terrible injuries and is now making a name for himself in the British Junior Superstock championship.

He wants to reach the top in motorbike racing and he now has a chance to take a step nearer that dream.

Hill explained: "I was racing at Mallory Park last weekend and someone came over to me and offered me a ride in the world championship.

"He asked me to go over to Italy to live there for two years. I would be training for the first year and the second year I would go into World Superbikes.

"I am not sure what I am going to do yet."

Moving abroad would be a huge decision for a teenager to make but Hill, who works for a family business building race transporters, has developed a maturity to deal with tough things in life.

This is his second season in road racing, although many people believed Hill would never make it this far.

He explained: "I started off in motocross. I did that for five years, moved up to 125's and had a bad accident.

"I ended up having my kidney and spleen taken out. I was in intensive care for a week and a half.

"I just lived. They said another 15 minutes and that would have been it because I had lost so much blood.

"From then on I decided I wasn't going to do motocross anymore.

"I tried go-karting and moved up from novice to advanced in one weekend. But it didn't suit me and I wanted to do something on two wheels again."

An opportunity arrived by chance as Hill got a ride thanks to an Aprilia team manager who was doing business with the family at the time. He then moved up to compete in the 600cc Junior Superstock series with Roundstone Suzuki.

Hill is the youngest competitor in the championship, which caters for riders aged 16 to 25, but that has not stopped him claiming some excellent results.

Roundstone team manager David Trigg, from Steyning, said: "Tommy is just a natural rider and he is one for the future."

Hill claimed a podium finish at Knockhill last month and at Brands Hatch recently he crashed out on the final bend after a daring move which, if successful, would have seen him snatch a dramatic victory.

At Mallory Park last weekend Hill qualified fourth and was leading the race for several laps before pushing the bike too hard and crashing out.

Whether the land of pasta and cappuchinos beckons or not, it seems Tommy Hill has the bravery, skill and determination to make a success of his career in the sport.

Heathfield's Dave Heal wants to finish the season on a high.

Heal, last year's privateer champion in the British Superbike Series, has been contesting the British Superstock Series this season.

His season fell apart, though, when sponsors for the team he rides for, Team Gataka, pulled out midway through the championship.

Ever since then it has been an uphill struggle for Heal, Sussex's only professional motorbike racer.

The 35-year-old decided against competing in round ten of the series at Mallory Park last weekend and will also miss the penultimate round at Rockingham at the end of the month.

However, he plans to take part in the final round at Donington Park in October.

Heal said: "At the moment I am refusing to shell out £1,500, which it costs per round of the series to compete. I have been in the business long enough and I don't want to go back to doing that.

"I will do the last round, though, because I need to make a bit of a statement to everyone, to let them know I am still about."