When was the last time David Beckham got only three and a half hours sleep before having to wake up at 4.30am to work a nine hour shift, doing all of this before traveling the country to compete in his teams' next fixture?

Of course he never has and never will have to juggle his sporting career with a full-time job, but that's what speedway rider Paul Bentley does every week.

Paul races for the Berwick ACCC BT Cellnet Bandits, a role which takes him across the country but as speedway doesn't offer the mega-money which abounds in football's Premier league he works as a postman too.

Being a postman means lot of early starts for the 32 year-old father of one, which really aren't what he needs when, as often happens, he's been competing in another part of the country the previous night.

He competed as a guest for Stoke in Scotland earlier this week after which he arrived back home to Darlington in the early hours of the next day.

He said: "It gets very difficult at times. This week I got back from Glasgow at 1am and had to be up again at 4.30am for work.

"Its one of the only jobs I could have to get away for races in time. I couldn't do a 9-5 job."

Paul is sponsored by Smith & Allan and Hathaway & Hoyle who Paul says he is grateful to as they are of great help as he travels the country while Paul Kirkwood lends a hand by "doing a bit of driving and PR".

As well as having to travel to meetings in his own van, Paul is responsible for the maintenance of his bike.

"I do it all myself. You get someone who helps at the track on the day but that's it."

Paul, who suffered a broken leg last season which kept him out of action for four months, admits he would have preferred this season to have been more successful.

"It's going steady but I would like to win every race I'm in and at the moment I'm not getting as good starts as I'd like to."

Despite the difficulties caused by having to hold down a job and compete as a semi-professional speedway rider, Paul says he's satisfied with the situation.

"It's worth it because I'm doing what I like to do," he said.

Continuing: "All I need now is the money Premiership footballers are on to make it a bit better!"

Berwick's next fixture is at home to Swindon tomorrow after which they travel to Workington on Monday.

l Berwick's Scott Smith is looking forward to reminding Sheffield fans what they are missing. Smith rides against his parent club at Owlerton in Premier League action on Thursday and is looking for a double-figure haul.

l Newcastle's Danish sensation Bjarne Pedersen has won a booking at Elite League Wolverhampton.

He will line up in the prestigious Ladbroke Olympique event at Monmore Green on Monday, September 18.

And that means he will be alongside former Diamonds favourite Nicki Pedersen, who started his British career at Brough Park before making a big-money move to the Midlands.