Dominic Herbertson is appealing for financial support from fans after the team he was meant to compete for at this year’s TT folded last week.

The popular 34 year old from Hexham was set to ride alongside James Hillier for WTF Racing at this summer’s event, but the Warwickshire-based outfit make the shock announcement that it wouldn’t be competing this year ‘due to significant commercial circumstances beyond the team’s control’.

Giving an update on his Chasin’ the Racin’ podcast’s YouTube channel, Herbertson said: ‘There have been no offers of rides, so I’m going to have to get my own bikes and run my own team.

‘There’s a chance I won’t be at the TT, and I need help to make sure I am.

‘There’s a lot to get sorted and that’s why I’ve set up a GoFundMe page.

‘Being realistic, the budget you need to go racing these days is absolutely humungous. For two bikes you are looking at £15,000 for the tyres and fuel alone.

‘That’s without factoring in the logistics of getting there, chains, sprockets, brake pads etc.

‘I know I’ve been here before, as far as running my own bikes are concerned, but I’ve put myself in a situation where we are going a lot faster than I used to and that means more money to run at the sharp end.’

The page had raised nearly £15,000 of its £25,000 target at the time of going to press.

Reflecting on last week’s shock news, Dom added: ‘It caught everyone off-guard.

‘I can honestly say the most devastated man about all of this is [team boss] Alan Gardner.

‘Alan is dealing with this the best he can and he’s helping everyone out as much as he can.

‘Team owners in the past have got to a situation like this, turned their phones off and thrown them in the ocean and have gone and lived in Dubai for the rest of their lives! Alan isn’t.

‘He has been dropped in the sh*t. There’s been a huge sponsor who has dropped out on them. Alan has been dropped in it as much as the rest of us.

‘I don’t know much more than that.

‘When Alan asked me to race for him and become a professional rider it was a dream come true for me. Up to April 1 I was doing everything to make sure I was in the best shape for this.

‘I’ve always said that if someone gave me this opportunity I would do this. I’ve gone from 84kg to 76kg. I’ve been riding more, I’ve been moto-crossing, I’ve been treating this job incredibly seriously.

‘I think most people know I like a laugh but I wasn’t treating this as a joke.

‘Now the situation has changed, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up.

‘I’ve had some amazing messages - there has been so much support and without that support this would not be happening.

‘As I say this is the best I’ve been physically and mentally so I feel I’m in a good place to go and bang out some results.’