Five deaths occur during Isle of Man TT races
Hoodoo
http://www.iomonline.co.im/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=870&ArticleID=1053987
A HORRIFIC accident killed a TT marshal and a competitor during
Friday's showpiece Senior race.
April Bolster died outside her home in Main Road, Kirk Michael,
when she was hit by TT newcomer Gus Scott's bike.
It is believed Mrs Bolster, 49, was crossing the road to attend
to another rider when Mr Scott's 1000cc Honda machine collided
with her.
It is understood her 19-year-old daughter Susan was marshalling
at the crash scene and witnessed the tragedy.
The exact circumstances of the crash are not yet known and TT
organisers have refused to discuss the accident ahead of the
coroner's inquest.
Clerk of the course Neil Hanson said: 'The race organisation is
making full investigations into the circumstances and any changes
found necessary as a result of this tragedy will certainly be
implemented.'
Evidence from witnesses, possibly including video footage, has
been collected and will be handed to the coroner.
Whatever the outcome, it is likely the safety of marshals and
riders will come under renewed scrutiny.
A centre volunteer for the Manx Blind Welfare Society, married
mum-of-one Mrs Bolster had been marshalling at the TT and Manx
Grand Prix for more than 20 years, but only moved to the Island
in August 2003.
Friends said finding a house in Kirk Michael, where April and her
family liked to marshal, was a 'dream come true'.
Close friends of the Bolster family Michael and Linda McDonald
said they were stunned by the crash.
Mr McDonald, also of Kirk Michael and a fellow marshal, said the
Bolster family stayed with him and his wife when they decided to
quit their Slough home for a new life in the village.
'She was one of those people who would help anyone,' he said.
'She was the sort of person who would go out of her way to help.
'She was a very lively, bubbly person. She was always smiling,
laughing and was everyone's friend. We are still trying to come
to terms with it.
'April enjoyed marshalling and the TT,' Mr McDonald added. 'The
family liked to do it together and she always wanted to come here.'
Mrs Bolster's husband Paul also marshals in the village.
Chairman of the TT Marshals' Association Roger Hurst described
Mrs Bolster's death as a 'sad loss' and the family as 'dedicated
marshals'.
He said Mrs Bolster was an experienced marshal who underwent an
incident management training course in April last year. Mr Hurst
added the association puts 'staunch effort' into training
marshals and more than 500 had been trained in first aid and
incident management.
He added he couldn't comment on the accident but said: 'We and
the organisers will be looking into it once we have the coroner's
report into what actually happened. Safety is paramount'.
Although a newcomer to the TT, test rider and bike journalist Mr
Scott was an experienced racer who was enjoying the Mountain course.
At the start of the festival the 40-year-old, from Peterborough,
said he was taking part in the TT to learn his way around the
course and had asked organisers for a lower race number than the
25 he was originally allocated. He started at number 45 instead
and took part in all the solo classes.
Former fiance of top Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbs, Mr Scott was a
close friend of TT favourite John McGuinness, who won Friday's race.
Father to 10-year-old Yasmin, Mr Scott had been racing for 20
years and competed in the Southern 100 in 1991 under his real
name Ian Scott.
Rider's liason officer Paul Philips said: 'Gus was very
experienced. He road a bike every day of his life and had raced
all over the world on roads and circuits. Of all the newcomers at
the TT he was the most sensible of the lot of them. He was
building his speed up, he had a three-year plan and was hoping to
win it in 2007.
'Anyone who knew Gus will know he had a great sense of humour. He
was desperate to be in the Island and he was having a great time.
I spoke to him Friday morning and he couldn't wait. He was a
great guy.'
Mr Scott's funeral will take place in Burneside, near Kendal.
The double fatality and the death of a visiting biker took the TT
death toll to five.
The visitor, who died in a crash at Hillberry, Onchan, on
Thursday afternoon, was Dominique Joel Raymond Mollett, 41, a
motor mechanic from the Brittany region of France.
His bike was in collision with a Peugeot car driven by a
57-year-old man from Ramsey who escaped injury.
It is understood the crash happened after Mr Mollett was clocked
speeding by police and tried to stop. The force refused to comment.
On Thursday night Agnieszka Darul-Gibalska, 28, from St John's,
died in a crash on the Ballamodha straight.
The Polish catering supervisor of The Cat That cafe in Tynwald
Mills, was travelling south when the Toyota Corolla she was in
collided with a Ford at 8.50pm.
The shopping centre's managing director Stephen Bradley said:
'It's a sad loss. She had worked with us for nearly a year and
she was a bright individual, a graduate. It's a tragic loss of
such a young life.'
The driver of the Toyota is described as 'comfortable' in Noble's
Hospital while the Fiesta driver has been discharged. Police
inquiries into the crash are continuing.
On Saturday afternoon fire crews used airbags to free a man and
woman from the wreckage of another accident.
The accident happened at the junction of Alexander Drive and
Quarterbridge Road, Douglas, at 4.45pm when a Ford van collided
with the back of a Yamaha bike.
The bike's male pillion passenger was thrown from the machine and
the female rider was trapped under the van and bike.
They haven't been named but the rider has since been released
from hospital.
--
It's a big old goofy world. - John Prine