Disasterous world record attempt by Richard Hammond

Tragedy of world record attempt by Richard Hammond
By John Hicks
www.wordrecordattempt.co.uk



The UK’s popular “Top Gear” presenter Richard Hammond was in a critical condition in hospital tonight (20th September, 2006) after he was involved in a high-speed car crash while filming for the programme.

Richard, 36, was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary after a "rocket-powered dragster'' he was in crashed at Elvington airfield near York.

It is widely rumoured that he may have been travelling at speeds close to 300mph before the crash. It is believed that he was attempting to set a new land speed record.

Inspector Mike Thompson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "At 5.45pm this evening we received a report via the fire service of a male person trapped in what was described as an overturned jet car which had been driven on the airfield.

"The male occupant has received serious injuries and has been airlifted to hospital at Leeds.''
A hospital spokesman said Hammond, who is being treated in a neurological unit, was in a "critical'' condition.

Richard, who often drives high-performance cars as part of presenting Top Gear, was born in Birmingham but lives just outside Cheltenham with his wife and children.

He first appeared on British television screens on cable and satellite channels presenting motoring programmes before switching to the BBC's Top Gear in 2002.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that an accident has happened while filming an edition of Top Gear at an airfield near York.

"The presenter Richard Hammond has been taken to hospital. The incident happened quite recently and the focus of our attention is on Richard at this stage.''

Top Gear magazine editor Michael Harvey told BBC News 24: "I've heard stories Richard was touching speeds closer to 300mph then 200mph, and clearly at those kinds of speeds the tiniest little thing has to go wrong and the speed obviously massively exaggerates the consequences of anything going wrong.

"This wasn't a high performance car, this wasn't a road car, this was a rocket powered dragster which bears absolutely no relation to the kind of cars which are the main fodder of the Top Gear programme - this was a car that clearly contained its own risks.''

He added: "I know every single precaution will have been taken but something clearly absolutely unaccounted for has gone wrong, and Richard has unfortunately suffered the consequences.''

I know that the BBC will have undertaken full health & safety risk assessments before this project was allowed to proceed. Now, many of the world record attempts I have been involved in have not been so inherently dangerous as Richard’s attempt but it is a reminder that we must all conduct a risk assessment.

My next project is working with Andy Kyriacou of 80’s pop legends “Modern Romance” (www.modern-romance.co.uk) who is seeking to set a new 120 hour world record for drumming, DJ Danny Dee who is attempting to set a new world record for dee-jaying continuously for 120 hours in a nightclub and Colin Stocking who is seeking to set a new nine-ball pool record.

This is a fundraising event for Children In Need Week (13 – 18 November 2006) at The Academy, Basingstoke, England (www.academyclubs.com). The Academy will conduct a risk assessment in terms of the building but, as they are already open 24 hours 7 days a week, but I will need to review the special considerations for people who will be trying to stay awake and perform continuously for considerable periods of time.

The primary considerations are medical issues – starting with the need to have qualified medical support available for those 120 hours.

I am currently developing a website, www.worldrecordattempt.co.uk, as a resource for budding record breakers and would welcome hearing from people who have undertaken, or who are considering, world record attempts with your experiences so that we can share them widely with each other.

Please send them to me at Headline Promotions, Press & PR via e-mail at john@headlinepromotions.co.uk