IT was an emotional reunion for sidecar crew Nick Crowe and Mark Cox when the pair met up for the first time at the scene of this year's TT accident that almost claimed their lives. Sporting matching leg frames and both on crutches, the pair met up at Ballacobb near Ballaugh on Friday. It was here on the Wednesday of TT Week a hare ran out and hit their machine causing it to ricochet from one side of the road to the other before disintegrating into a mass of flames and debris. The race was abandoned and was not rerun. The two shared a joke and hugged each other as they met.
Though Nick has passed the scene numerous times since his release from hospital, it was Mark's first return to the Island, where the pair had taken the TT lap record which has stood since 2007 and where they won both sidecar races last year.'
I finished up way up the road between the bus shelter and the corner,' said Mark, who lives in Rochester,Kent, and who remembers nothing of the accident or the time immediately before and after.
'The bike hit the hare before the bus stop then hit the right hand side, then the other side, then exploded and the tank caught fire further up.'We must have been doing over 150mph at the time,' added Nick, who lives in Jurby.
The surgeon who treated Mark described his shattered ankle as being the worst injury he had seen in 25 years, with the bone reduced to paste. Mark now has very little movement in the joint.
'I won't be going running again unfortunately, but I am hoping to return to work as an electrician at some point,' he said.
After the accident, the left leg was three inches shorter than the right. Now it is gradually gaining length with the aid of a metal frame which stretches it by one millimetre a day.
'I've watched the accident on DVD and I can't believe we came away from it at all,' he said.
'A tree branch came through the visor of my helmet and took the top of my ear off, but it could easily have gone through my eye.'It feels very strange coming back. Not traumatic. As soon as we were coming through Ballacraine it was going through my head what I would be doing on the bike.'It is a bit emotional really because it is the first time I've seen everyone since the accident.'Mark remains on maximum-dose painkillers after an operation four weeks ago to rebreak his leg. He may also face having a hip replacement in the near future, but he remains positive.
'At the moment I'm going to the gym and doing what I can to keep fit and the doctors say being fit has helped my recovery a lot.'I would love to come over for the TT next year if possible to see everyone and thank them properly.
'Big thanks are due to all the medical staff, marshals and so on. Also to Karl Bennett and Lee Cain who stopped their outfit and helped at the scene.'Like Nick, Mark said he had been overwhelmed by the care, support and fundraising effort from so many people, too numerous to name individually.
'We are tremendously grateful to everyone,' he said.
As for racing again:
'I don't think I will ever race again,' he said.
'Unless Nick wants to. I would ride with him...'