A CONSULTANT surgeon has criticised the organisers of a motorcycle race for refusing to scrap the event following one fatality and several severe casualties.

Rory Wetherell urged the British Motorcycle Racing Club to cancel day two of the meeting at Lydden after a rider was killed and the Kent and Canterbury Hospital put at full stretch at the weekend.

Ross Couzens, 29, crashed while competing in the mini-twins class and later died in hospital from head injuries.

Mr Wetherell, who was the duty consultant in trauma and orthopaedic surgery, says the BMRC flatly refused his request to stop the racing.

He said: "On Saturday afternoon, four patients were brought to the A&E department with severe injuries. One subsequently died.

"The treatment of these patients had to take priority over the other cases and all other surgical work in this hospital effectively ceased for much of the afternoon and evening.

"I am not criticising the individuals involved or wish to cause more distress to a bereaved family, but the organisers of the event carry a heavy responsibility.

"Their response on this occasion was lamentable. The advance warning given of the event was wholly inadequate and my suggestion that Sunday's racing be cancelled was met with flat refusal.

"Individuals have the right to take part in risky, life-threatening activities and motorcycle racing inevitable leads to injuries.

"But when this results in the severe disruption to the delivery of health care to the rest of the community, it becomes a matter of public concern."

He added: "If these meetings are to continue, the organisers should either pay for extra hospital staff or the participants required to take out health insurance so the resulting injuries do not delay the treatment of other patients with equally urgent conditions."

But BMRC chief executive and clerk of the course, David Stewart accused the K&C of providing a 'poor level of service'.

He said: "It is a sad and sorry state of affairs if the hospital cannot cope with five casualties from a weekend race meeting in which more than 1,000 riders were involved.

"Our competitors pay a great deal into the NHS and are entitled to treatment. We deal with hospitals all over the country but sadly, the K&C is the only one we have problems with."

An inquest was opened on Wednesday into the death of Mr Couzens, who was from Hampshire.