Tom Willison, who raced on the island in the 1970s, performed 100 mph laps at the Bob McIntyre Classic Bike Meeting at East Fortune on Saturday and Sunday aboard his restored Norton Commando.

The 850 c.c Mark 11A Roadster was similar to machines which Tom rode in competitions in his 20s and was a fitting tool for his tribute to McIntyre, whose daring and bravery earned him the soubriquet of ''The Flying Scotsman.''

A Glaswegian, McIntyre found immediate success at his first track racing competition at Balado Airfield, Kinross, in the late 1940s and went on to become the first rider to record a 100mph lap at the Isle of Man TT.

He was killed in 1962 at Alton Park, and in 2001 was honoured as one of the first members of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.

Tom, who raced his own Honda 400/4 on the island in 1978 - Mike Hailwood's comeback year - and took eighth position, bought his restored Commando a year ago.

He said: ''I was on the look out for a good one and found this bike, which had been completely rebuilt.

''I'm very chuffed with it, although I've made some modifications, and when I found that both the bike and I were eligible to get out on the track at East Fortune I jumped at the chance.''

Among the top six racers in Scotland during the 1970s, during which he campaigned a number of bikes, it was the Norton Commando which held a special place in his heart.

He added: ''For my generation of riders, a well-sorted Commando was pretty hard to beat and the bike to have at the time.

''I've attended the Bob McIntyre event before as a spectator, but it was a thrill to be able to go round the track wearing racing numbers and pay tribute to the The Flying Scotsman who was one of the best-ever road racers.

''I visited the TT last week for the first time since 1986 and was able to ride in Bob's tyre tracks on my Triumph Tiger.

''It's amazing how a gap of 23 years didn't diminish my memory of the circuit as I could remember every corner as if it was yesterday.''