Eastbourne banger driver Steve Anscombe made a dream return to Arlington Stadium on Monday.

Anscombe stormed to victory in his first race at the track since being diagnosed with cancer two years ago.

The 27-year-old from Langney, one of the most popular drivers at the stadium, won an action-packed affair in front of a 5,000-strong Bank Holiday crowd.

Afterwards he said: "There were times when I thought this would never happen. But it was one of the things that kept me going. I was determined to get back into racing."

Anscombe, known as "Cecil" to the fans, suffered a broken arm in a smash during a meeting at Mildenhall in 1999. Later a tumour was discovered.

Now, after 18 months of treatment, doctors have given him the go-ahead to race again, even though his right arm from the elbow to the shoulder has been replaced by metal bones, and he has a specially adapted steering wheel.

Before Monday, he had driven in only one comeback race, at Wimbledon at Easter, but it was enough to convince him to put Arlington on his schedule.

Emblazoned on the side of his car were the words: "Cecil! I'm Back!" And there could not have been a better result for the fans who last year packed the stadium for a benefit meeting for him.

"Everyone has been fantastic. I have had so much support from everyone, the fans, the other drivers and not just here. Tracks as far away as Buxton and Cornwall helped me out."

Anscombe, who has a 16-month-old son, Jack, with partner Karen, now plans to do a tour of the country to thank the people who supported him, and next month he has been invited to take part in the world cup event in Belgium.

"Obviously, stock car racing is not the be all and end all of my life after what has happened, but it was great to be back, and winning my first race back at Arlington is like a dream."

Anscombe, who began racing in ministox when he was 15, gave his team, the Seasiders, a flying start in Monday's national bangers six-a-side event.

His car was twice wrecked in later races, and the Seasiders were finally obliterated in the finale. Kent outfit Bulleys emerged as the overall winners.

The V8 stock cars Southern Championship was won by Romford's Phil Howard, while Alan Taylor, from Sunbury, won the hot rods final, and honours in the Reliant Robins went to Uckfield's Pip Williams.