Ipswich Witches teenage Aussie star Cameron Heeps is facing a race to be fit for the start of the 2014 season.

Heeps, 18, has been recalled back to England early by promoter Chris Louis after it emerged he will need another operation on his troublesome wrist.

With a recuperation period of three to four weeks, Louis has summoned his star youngster back to England now so he can get the operation done and be fit in time for the start of the campaign, which starts on Saturday, March 22.

“I spoke to Cameron last week and I’ve told him to get back to England now,” Louis said.

“We knew when he had the operation at the end of last season that it may work, it may not. The first operation was successful it is just that the bone hasn’t healed.

“I want him back in Ipswich straightaway, so the surgeon who did the original one can do a different type of operation, which we always said we would do if things didn’t work out first time.

“By getting Cameron back now, it means he will have the right amount of time to rest the wrist and we are confident that he will be fit come the start of the season.”

Heeps scooped nearly all the ‘Sackers’ Witches awards at the end of season presentation night last year after enjoying a fine 2013 for the Witches.

He has been resting Down Under but made an appearance in the Aussie U-21 finals, where he notched just four points.

Heeps rode for much of the second half of last season with pain in the wrist he damaged in a track crash against Workington in August.

An integral part of the Witches set-up after such a great 2013, both Heeps and Louis will be hoping an early return to England will prove to be the right move.

Meanwhile, Ipswich’s other Aussie star Rohan Tungate has had his visa approved and extended for not just one year, but three years. Many Australian riders have fallen foul of visa applications in recent weeks, the most high-profile being Jason Doyle.

But that has proved no problem for Tungate.