Devastated family demand safety changes after grass track tragedy

THE death of a young man in a motorcycle race crash has prompted his grieving family to demand improvements around the safety of the sport.

- by LISA LETCHER [e-mail] @lisletcher

Thomas Newton, from Bodmin, was killed when he was thrown from a sidecar and then hit by another competitor just weeks before he was due to be married.

The 24-year-old died in June of last year at the season-opening meeting of the British Southeastern Centre Grass Track Championship near Frittenden, Kent.

Now his family - parents Laura and Kevin Tyrrell, brother Dillon and sister Neave, plus his fiancée Lauren - are calling for tougher regulations and a complete ban on the highest-powered class of machines. They have spoken out following an inquest into his death.

A two-day inquest held in Maidstone, Kent, heard how Mr Newton was the sidecar passenger in the 1000cc sidecar races alongside driver Robbie Simmons. They were among the favourites for the race - the penultimate of the day - which started at about 6pm.

However, on lap four the bike was disrupted by a bump on the track which resulted in Mr Newton being thrown from the machine.

While lying on the track he was struck by another motorcycle. First aid was given but, due to the significant injuries sustained, he was declared dead just before 7pm.