Organisers praise response to bike crashes

THE ORGANISERS of a motorcycle race which saw two separate crashes in the space of only a few hours have praised the efforts of both the circuit’s marshals and the emergency services in dealing with the accidents.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that five casualties who were injured in the two crashes on Sunday at the Oliver’s Mount track in Scarborough remained in hospital.

Daley Mathison was racing at the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Road Races when his bike crashed into a crowd of racing fans following brake failure at about 1.40pm.

The collision happened after an earlier accident involving Jamie Coward at 10.40am during qualifying at the track’s Drury’s hairpin when he crashed through safety fences into spectators.

According to the North Yorkshire force, a total of 12 people have been injured, three seriously.

A spokesman for Oliver’s Mount Racing praised the “swift, professional and effective response” to both crashes, adding: “We want to send our best wishes to everyone who was injured.”

He confirmed the governing body, Auto Cycle Union (ACU), is sending an inspector and two experienced riders to the track to assess the incidents. A fresh risk assessment is being prepared ahead of the 2018 season, although the spokesman stressed the audit was already due to take place in October.

The chairman of the ACU’s road race, drag and sprint committee, Paul King, said: “The ACU takes the safety of any circuit very seriously, and the safety of spectators is of paramount importance.”