An experienced rider’s death in last year’s Senior Classic TT race was the result of a tragic accident, an inquest heard this week.

Coroner of Inquests Jayne Hughes ruled that Chris Swallow, 37, died as a result of his injuries caused by the accident at Ballaugh Bridge on the first lap of the Senior Classic TT on August 24, 2019.

The reconvened inquest into the death of the New Zealand-based racer, who was originally from Yorkshire, was heard by Mrs Hughes on Wednesday.

Written witness statements from several people, including marshals and spectators, were read out while Mrs Hughes summarised video and photograph evidence she had received.

One video of the crash was also played. Mr Swallow’s bike could be seen lifting high into the air after coming over the crest of the bridge, landing near to the Raven public house before it crashed into the wall or railings of one of the terraced houses opposite.

Jennifer Nutter, a marshal who has been based at Ballaugh for 10 years, said that Mr Swallow ’did not ease off’ as he entered the bridge and reached a ’staggering height’ in the air.

Another marshal, Nicholas Bradley, said he’d ’never seen anyone approach the bridge at that speed on a small bike’.

Mark Hall, a spectator who had been filming the race, said that Mr Swallow’s approach ’sounded differently’ to the bikes that had already passed through and that his throttle was open. Mr Hall added: ’Something definitely wasn’t right.’

Spectators Andrew Cobb, John Miller and Helen Edge all commented on Mr Swallow’s speed on the approach to Ballaugh Bridge.

Mr Miller, who knew the family through racing, said: ’I wouldn’t have expected this to happen to Chris Swallow as he is such a proficient rider.’

Mr Swallow’s father, Bill, an experienced rider in his own right, had analysed the evidence made available to him and said: ’Chris’s technique was always faultless here.’

Bill Swallow noted that the railings outside the house which his son had collided with had been covered in the subsequent days for all future races.

The doctor who attended the scene, Dr Rudi Auen, noted in his report that Mr Swallow had ’hit the railings head first’.

The bike, a 500cc Royal Enfield, was examined on the day of the race and was found to have no defects.

A report carried out after the accident by vehicle examiner Anthony Bode said that the bike had received ’extensive damage’ during the crash.

Mr Bode was able to confirm there was no fault with the bike which could be seen to have caused the crash.

He said: ’In my opinion, the vehicle was travelling too quickly to safely navigate Ballaugh.’

Mrs Hughes ruled that Mr Swallow’s death was an accident after he lost control of his bike and crashed.

It was during the collision with the wall and railings that he received his ultimately fatal injuries including a fractured skull and neck.

There was no other competitor near him when he crashed, the sun was behind him and the road was dry, leaving Mrs Hughes to rule out any of these factors as contributing to Mr Swallow’s death.

She said video footage she had reviewed showed he had approached the bridge at full speed and had reached a higher height than other riders and landed further from the bridge than any other rider.

However, Mrs Hughes said she was not stating Mr Swallow had been reckless, noting that given the nature of the course, ’even the most experienced riders make mistakes’.

Mrs Hughes said she would recommend to the ACU and Department of Infrastructure that the spot where Mr Swallow crashed should be covered by way of cushioning.

She said that she could not rule that if cushioning had been in place that it would have prevented his death.

Mrs Hughes also expressed her condolences to Mr Swallow’s family, in particular his wife Jennifer, and his father Bill.