Promising Manx racer Billy Redmayne dies after Oliver’s Mount crash

Family takes agonising decision to switch off 25-year-old soldier’s life-support after he sustained severe head injuries

MANX racer Billy Redmayne has died following a crash at the Oliver’s Mount Spring Cup on Sunday.

The 25-year-old from Laxey is understood to have been struck from behind on the fastest section of the 2.43-mile Scarborough circuit.

He suffered severe head injuries and was air-lifted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

The news of his death was confirmed early this morning by his girlfriend Hannah Louise, who wrote on Facebook: 'We were told that the damage to his brain was too severe for him to ever wake up again. Even if we had waited for the swelling to go down, the damage was too bad.

'He also wasn't able to breathe for himself and was kept awake by machines. Myself and his family decided rather than prolong the inevitable, we would turn off his life support machine and donate whatever organs we could.

'I am holding on to the fact that Billy died doing what he loved, and that was the way he always wanted it.'

She added: ‘Today was our anniversary, we had been together for two years. Today was also the day that I lay in Billy's arms whilst he took his last breath.’

Billy was set to make his TT debut this year after winning the Junior Manx Grand Prix in 2015. 

He was also member of the Parachute Regiment who had served in Afghanistan.

Race organisers the Auto 66 Club said: ‘Our sincere condolences go out to Billy Redmayne's family and friends at this devastating time.’