Hislop crash inquiry to be held

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A fatal accident inquiry is to be held into the death of motorbike champion Steve Hislop.

He died in a helicopter crash in hills near his hometown of Hawick in 2003 and relatives and friends have campaigned for an inquiry for some time.

Mr Hislop - who lived on the Isle of Man - was flying alone from the Scottish Borders to Buckinghamshire when the incident happened.

His mother Margaret said she was "very pleased" an inquiry would now be held.

Mr Hislop's death prompted widespread mourning among biking enthusiasts.

He was a winner of the British Superbike title in 1995 and 2002 and also won 11 Isle of Man TT crowns.

His funeral in Hawick was attended by large numbers from the motorcycling community.

Formal notification

An Air Accident Investigation Branch report was published in May 2005 into the crash which claimed his life.

It said the accident was caused by rotor blades striking the tailboom of the helicopter.

However, it added that an aircraft malfunction "could not be eliminated".

Formal notification has now been issued of the decision to hold an FAI.

No date had been fixed but the venue is likely to be Jedburgh.