A YOUNG biker was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident on a car park at the Reebok Stadium.

Christopher Ormesher, aged 14, crashed into a metal chain strung across an access road while he was riding his bike on the car park.

Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce tried to help save the life of the teenager after he was alerted by a witness who ran into the stadium to raise the alarm.

Allardyce used his mobile phone to relay information from paramedics to Christopher's father.

Despite their frantic efforts Christopher, from Chorley, died at the Royal Bolton Hospital on August 31, 2003. A Bolton inquest heard on Thursday that the accident happened after Christopher's parents Stuart and Brenda Ormesher had taken their son to the stadium's car park B to test his 125cc Honda motorbike before a competition in Preston in October.

Christopher had dreams of becoming a professional motorbike rider and had been riding since the age of five.

He was wearing a crash helmet and full leathers when his bike hit the metal chain. His parents saw the accident.

His mother said the family was still struggling to come to terms with Christopher's death: "He was a happy-go-lucky lad and a great kid. There is a huge part of us missing. It has wrecked our lives."

The hearing was told that Allardyce had returned to pick up his car from the Reebok after a football match at the City of Manchester Stadium .

He phoned for an ambulance and then held a mobile telephone to Mr Ormesher's ear while paramedics gave him advice on resuscitating his son. He also later attended the funeral.

Mr Ormesher said after the inquest: "I'm not a football fan so I didn't know who he was.

"He helped me with the telephone and then helped me roll Christopher over. It was only then that I realised how bad Christopher's neck was. His pulse started fading and there was nothing we could do."

Mr and Mrs Ormesher said their "fun-loving son" had friends of all ages. They said he was well respected as a motorcycle rider and extremely experienced for a boy so young.

Mr Ormesher, aged 43, said: "Christopher had been riding since he was six years old, he grew up with motorbikes. He was not a 14-year-old on a bike and anyone who knew him knew how good he was.

"It has been nightmare after nightmare, day in day out.

"Christopher had the right people around him to succeed. He was a great son and I had a job trying to get angry with him. He wasn't just my son, he was my best friend and all my friends know that."

As a tribute to his son, Mr Ormesher competed in the race Christopher was due to take part in and came away with the winning trophy.

It now stands proudly in the youngster's bedroom which has been untouched since the tragedy.

He wears Christopher's road race licence around his neck all the time, which carries a lock of his son's hair.

Christopher's sister Rachel, aged 18, said: "He taught me to ride a bike and I'll never forget that. I've recently taken my motorcycle test for Christopher and passed. Christopher had so many friends of all ages and they will never forget him."

During the inquest Bolton Wanderers Football Club was criticised for not marking the car park chain with reflective strips, despite two accidents happening in the same place in December 2002 and May 2003.

Bolton Council's environmental health department had visited the stadium after the first incident and agreed with the Wanderers that reflective sleeves should be purchased. They were and placed on the chains.

But after the second incident it was agreed that chevron boards needed to be placed over the chains to draw further attention to them.

These were not ordered by the club and the sleeves were not on the chain when Christopher died.

Graham Olive, technical officer for Bolton Council's environmental health, told the hearing: "We agreed reflective sleeves weren't enough and chevron boards would be the best method to make the chain visible.

"I asked to be kept updated but after writing three times to the club, I received no contact."

Neil Coles, responsible for car parks at the club, said: "High visibility sleeves were bought by the club after the incident with the car in December 2002 but it was agreed with the local authority that we buy metal plates to put on the chains and that the car parks be regularly inspected, which they were." He said the club had not ordered the metal plates in time.

Insp Gordon Robertson, from Greater Manchester Police's accident investigation team, said at its lowest point, the chain was 65 centimetres from the floor.

He said the chain had slid up Christopher's arms towards his head.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Jennifer Leeming said: "This death is the result of a very tragic accident.

"It is right and proper in my view, although I except it is intensely distressing, that it should and must be investigated in public so that all concerned can learn from my investigation.

"I don't believe there is a person in this room whose hearts would not go out to Mr and Mrs Ormesher and the family."