WARNING signs may have been taken from the point of the Isle of Man's historic TT course where three people, including a Kidderminster man, died.

Motorbike enthusiast Dean Jacob, 33, of Tomkinson Drive was one of two spectators who lost their lives in the tragic incident last year.

Fellow race-goer Gregory Kenzig and race competitor Marc Ramsbotham also died.

At an inquest into their deaths, a video showed bike rider, Mr Ramsbotham, strike his head on a post on the right hand side of the road before losing control of the bike and leaving the circuit on the left, ploughing up an embankment towards spectators.

The two spectators were hit when they were standing in a restricted area but the island's coroner, Michael Moyle, was told there were no warning signs in place, even though the course's chief marshal claims he was told there were.

TT newcomer Mr Ramsbotham, of Norfolk, died instantly in the accident, which happened at the 26th milestone - known as Joey's - of his final lap of the public road circuit on June 8.

Mr Jacob and Mr Kenzig, 52, of Queensland, Australia, died after Mr Ramsbotham's motorcycle ploughed up the embankment and into the crowd.

Speaking Wednesday, Mr Moyle suggested signs could have been absent over a period of time, a claim backed up by marshal James McKay, who said he had not seen one for the five years he has been stationed on the course.

However, chief marshal Roger Hurst told said course maintenance officers had confirmed signs were present the day before the accident.

"If signs were not present before the start of the race it was up to marshals to inform the clerk of the course," he said.

Road race manager and deputy clerk of the course, Edward Nelson, added an inspection a fortnight before the tragedy did not highlight any problems and marshals had been told to report any missing signs.

"There is a procedure to check signage is in place," he said.

"But it is very difficult to remember all the street furniture and prohibited areas over 37-and-three-quarter miles."

Mr Nelson added the accident was "exceptional and unusual" because it was the first time he had seen a machine travel up a banking over that distance.

Clerk of the course Neil Hanson said reviews of prohibited areas are on-going and signs were checked by the marshals at the start of each race.

However, Ian Baxter Ross, who placed the signs for course maintenance contractor, Kissacks told the inquest he covered only three areas on the mountain - the Bungalow, Windy Corner and Mountain Box - but not Joey's.

That claim was countered by course maintenance officer Mike Dean who said he asked Kissacks to deal with signage over the whole of the mountain when the Manx Department of Transport had stopped doing it in 2004.

He did admit, though, signs are stolen on a regular basis.

"Of the 14 prohibited areas over the mountain I can't believe we could have done checks and overlooked 11 areas without signs," he said.

"It is possible for signs to be stolen. We did have to replace around 250 during the course of the race week."

He agreed that each sector marshal had a copy of the plans showing where the prohibited areas were and the one at Joey's had been designated for about 10 years.

Since the incident, extra bales had been placed at the 26th, the banking had been taken back from the side of the road and the marshals' point had been moved to the other side.

The changes were brought in for the Manx Grand Prix and would continue this year.

The hearing continues.

copy supplied by MEN