LEADING motorbike rider Ian Pattinson has told how the family of a team-mate killed on the Isle of Man race persuaded him to continue racing.

The 36-year-old from County Durham was devastated by the death of friend Tommy Clucas, who suffered fatal injuries at Ballaugh Bridge during the last lap of the Tower Insurance Junior Grand Prix.

Mr Pattinson, of Huntshieldford, in Upper Weardale, was lying second in the race when engine trouble forced him out.

But he stayed by the circuit to wave on his Honda team-mate, who had clocked a record lap speed of 120.28mph on his 600cc machine.

But seconds after roaring past, the 36-year-old Isle of Man rider crashed.

Mr Pattinson, who works for Northumbrian Water at its Burnhope treatment plant, in Weardale, was distraught.

He and wife, Venita, and parents, Neil and Carol Pattinson, who were watching him race for the first time on the Isle of Man, were ready to come home after the September 1 tragedy.

But Mr Clucas's parents and friends appealed to him to carry on racing in the Steam Packet Company Senior Grand Prix.

"I had serious mixed feelings about taking part in the race," he said. "But they begged me to carry on. They said it would be in memory of Tommy."

So Ian lined up with more than 100 other amateur riders from all over the world for the grand prix.

"For the first five or six miles of the race, I just couldn't get myself into gear to realise that I was racing."

But he was soon recording lap speeds of about 120mph on his 750cc Kawasaki.

In a thrilling end, he crossed the finish line clear of his nearest rival, only to find local rider, Davy Morgan, on a 750cc Suzuki, had snatched victory with an average race speed of 118.67mph, 2.8 seconds ahead of him.

But when he took second place on the podium, the Weardale rider paused to think about team-mate Mr Clucas.

"I will have to give serious thoughts about racing on the island again," he said.

As a tribute to his efforts, Isle of Man businessman Martin Bullock, who sponsored Mr Pattinson, presented him with the 750cc Kawasaki machine that had carried him so close to victory.