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Short drive on vintage sidecar ended in tragedy

A verdict of accidental death has been recorded at the resumed inquest on a Sulby man who died in a road accident during the TT festival, on June 6 this year.

Anthony James Cook, 75, was driving his Norton classic sidecar outfit when he collided with a parked car and was thrown from the vehicle.

Mr Cook was showing the restored machine to a TT visitor when they decided to take it to the nearby Ginger Hall for other enthusiasts to take a look.

He left his house and drove onto the Claddaghs Road, with his passenger in the sidecar for the short journey to the pub.

As it was an ex-racing machine and not a road bike, Mr Cook hadn't driven it on the road before, and coroner John Needham heard its limited steering range may have been a factor in causing the accident.

After turning onto the road, Mr Cook lost control and collided with the parked car.

That caused the machine to swerve across to the other side of the road and throw both men to the ground.

The visitor escaped with minor injuries, but Mr Cook was pronounced dead at the scene, despite the best efforts of paramedics.

Mr Needham expressed his deepest sympathy to his family and suggested there was some consolation in that he died doing what he loved.

Mr Cook was a retired motor engineer and had competed in TT in the early 1960s.

He won a silver replica for finishing fourth in the 1960 sidecar race.

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