Motorcross victim named

2:21pm Monday 28th April 2008

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A rider who died in a motorbike race at Yatton Keynell yesterday has been named as Malcolm Sims from Trowbridge.

The 55-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene of a classic scramble race hosted by the Bath Classic Motorcycle Club.

Mr Sims, who worked at the Oval Motor Company in Westbury, crashed his 650cc Triumph Matisse into a tree in the 15th race of the event yesterday afternoon.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene and the air ambulance was called but he was pronounced dead.

Derek Daniels, vice chairman of the motorcycle club and one of the event organisers, says the cause of the accident is still unknown.

"People said he just didn't appear to take the corner and seemed to fly in full throttle," he said.

"We just don't know what happened. For whatever reason he left the track, he wasn't in any close competition with anyone.

"I am told the next bike was ten to 20 yards ahead and he was more or less on his own.

"He was a very good rider and very experienced, that is why we can't we can't believe he had the accident.

"Someone with his experience, you would have thought, would have been able to bring the bike under control. It is a mystery."

The club host three events a year, two at Yatton Keynell, and Sunday's races were the first of 2008.

They have been running the event for 20 years and Mr Sims' death is the first fatality.

He had been part of the club for over ten years and it is believed his family including his father, wife and two daughters were at the track supporting him.

"He was a very likeable chap and we had a common interest in that I was a motor mechanic and so is he," said Mr Daniels.