LOCAL motorbike champion Declan McGillivray may be forced off the road due to a lack of funding - just weeks after his greatest race.

The 15-year-old has won pretty much everything domestically and produced a thrilling ride last month to finish third in the World Championship.

But that race may be one of his final at the top level as the money is drying up.

Grandad Danny Henderson has seen Declan’s talent blossom from a young age and is CONVINCED he is a world star in the making.

And he has backed the Muirkirk teenager with cold hard cash - spending £57,000 of his own money to help him fulfill his dreams.

But his pockets can’t go any deeper and this week contacted the Chronicle to make a plea to any local businesses or people to help out, He said: “Declan has just returned from Spain after competing in the first World mini-bike championships.

“He finished third in the open class. And he managed to achieve that when riding on someone else’s bike as his had a fuel leak.

“He was lent a bike and I’m sure if he’d have been on his own he’d have won the race. He is that good.

“But without any more support then we can’t go on.” Mark McGaw, 44, from Kilmarnock and a multi-champion racer himself, has offered to help with bikes and travel to races for nothing.

But now the team need cold hard cash to move forward.

Danny added: “Mark is willing to do that but we need sponsorship. If anyone has free time to even send emails to businesses or knows anybody that might help, we’d be eternally grateful.

“Declan’s aunties have done a sponsored walk for him and raised £500 and every little bit helps.

“I’ve bought him great bikes but the money isn’t there. We’ve had emails back from a few that haven’t been able to help.

“It costs about £15,000 for a season and I’ve already rattled out £57,000. I said I wasn’t going to go above £50,0000. But what can you do? He’s family and has a rare and brilliant talent.” Declan is twice Scottish champion, has three endurance race wins and won a race on a 70cc metra-kit in the mini-GP championship.