A MOTORCYCLIST was today fighting for his life after he was thrown from his bike during a race meeting.

Stephen Taylor, 40, of Hall Park, Haslingden, suffered head injuries when he was thrown from his Honda 250 RG machine at Aintree Racing Circuit, Melling Road, Merseyside, on Saturday afternoon.

Race organisers said Mr Taylor came off his bike, which then flipped over and hit him during the race with about 35 other riders.

Civil engineer Mr Taylor has three children, Leo, 20, Gemma, 19, and 17-year-old Carl. Leo was with him at the race meeting when the 250cc bike crashed.

His children, and their mother, Melanie Evans, have been keeping a bedside vigil at Fazakerley Hospital in Liverpool where his condition was today described as critical. Leo said: "My dad is really into bikes but he only started racing last year. I was at Aintree with him, but didn't see the crash happen. He was rushed straight to hospital and we have all been there ever since. Our mum is still there."

The race meeting was the fourth one this year organised by the Aintree Motorcycle Road Racing Club, which up to 200 competitors travel from all over the country to enter.

Dave Edwards, chairman of the club, said: "This was a racing accident and no-one else was involved. The unfortunate thing is that the bike appeared to hit him. We have full medical cover at every meeting with two doctors and six ambulances.

"One of our doctors was with Mr Taylor within minutes and he was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital with a police escort. Our thoughts are now with his family."

The family live at Chantry Cottage behind the Hall Park static caravan site off Blackburn Road, Haslingden.

Merseyside Police have launched an investigation into the accident. Any witnesses should contact Sefton Traffic Group on 0151 777 5730.

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