A YOUNG Forest father was among the 17 riders hurt in a beachfront motocross pile-up described as "utter mayhem" and "like something out of a war zone."

Ross Falcons rider, John Powell, from Pillowell, was taking part in his third Weston Beach Race and was only minutes into the three hour solo event, when disaster struck.

His mum, Sonia Powell, from Woolaston, was watching last Sunday's race with family, including John's son Jake, who was celebrating his fifth birthday.

"John says he could see the crash happening up ahead and stopped, but someone went into the back of him. Bang, and he was up in the air. He had nowhere to go."

The accident left John, 34, a self-employed plumber, with a dislocated wrist, badly broken forearm, gashes and bruised legs. He was among 17 riders hospitalised, including 16-year-old Ty Kellett from Somerset who remains critically ill.

Sonia, who's seen the race at Weston-Super-Mare before, says there was something different this time.

"The sea is usually way out and there's a whole lot of beach to ride on. But on Sunday the tide hadn't gone out properly, it was very windy, raining and the visibility was really poor. There was just too much water and not enough space for the bikes, so they all bunched together. With all the water, the bikes bring up loads of sand. They were covered in it, goggles and everything."

The accident happened only minutes into the three hour race.

"We couldn't see what happened," said Sonia, "But after about five minutes there was mayhem. Ambulances everywhere and they were bringing out riders in trailers, in anything. It looked like something out of a war zone."

Although motocross riders accept there are always dangers in their sport, the organisers of the Weston beach race, RHL Activities, have been criticised for allowing last Sunday's annual race – the 27th – to go ahead.

"There's no way it should have gone ahead," says Sonia. "And I'd tell that to the organisers. The conditions were wrong, there was too much water and not enough room. There's even talk now that there'll never be another one."

RHL Activities are expected to decide whether or not to re-run the race next Sunday.