THE family of a young woman who suffered fatal injuries at a Llangollen mountain bike event say they have been denied justice.

The organiser of the race at Tan Y Graig Farm along with cycling’s governing body were cleared of health and safety breaches arising from the death of Judith Garrett.

But Miss Garrett’s parents, Lorna and Bill Garrett, said after the verdict delivered by a jury at Mold Crown Court that spectators should be wary of attending similar events in future as they may not be guaranteed their safety.

Miss Garrett was hit by an out-of-control bike at the race on August 31, 2014, and died from serious head injuries the next day in a trauma unit in Stoke.

Her death triggered an investigation by Denbighshire County Council, whose senior health and safety inspector Richard Henderson read a statement on behalf of the Garrett family after the British Cycling Federation and Michael Marsden were cleared on all charges.

The family said: “Almost four years ago our world was torn apart. We had hoped that after this dreadful tragedy those concerned would put measures in place. To date we have heard no such measures put in place by British Cycling to reduce the risks to spectators at its events.

“We hope that despite today’s verdicts event organisers realise they cannot carry on as before and ignore the safety of spectators at sporting events.

“We have never sought vengeance or retribution, only justice. Sadly that justice was denied to us today.

“Our only hope is that spectators at these events in the future only assume they are not safe.”

The prosecution alleged that a lack of attention to detail dogged the planning of the downhill event and that a spot near to a three-jump stretch where Miss Garrett was hit should have been taped off and designated as a “no go area”.

The 29-year-old had walked up to the spot to watch her boyfriend, Peter Walton, compete.

Mr Walton said the governing body should learn lessons from the trial and implement measures to reduce the risks to spectators.

Mr Walton pointed out: “Judith’s death would have been prevented with the provision of an exclusion zone. The same area had been taped off in a previous downhill event using the same track in 2012 and 2013.

“Taping the area is a reasonable practical way of mitigating the risk to a spectator and the cost and effort to do this is a minimum.

“Hopefully British Cycling apply learnings and improvement to ensure the safety of spectators is paramount at all British Cycling sanctioned events. Doing so will not be an admission of accountability, but simply help prevent similar events in future.”

Lancashire-based Mr Marsden was an experienced organiser of mountain bike events, who traded under the banner of Borderline Events.

He told the court he felt there was no need to tape off the area as he had never seen “anybody come off the track there”.

Mr Marsden received a race permit to hold the event after sending off a generic risk assessment to Welsh Cycling.

But the British Cycling Federation claimed it did not have jurisdiction over the event and it should have fallen under the umbrella of Welsh Cycling.

It said it should not be blamed for the performance of race commissaire Alex Thompson, who failed to inspect the course of the track completely on the day of the tragedy.

A bike expert told the court there was an inherent risk of riders colliding with spectators at most events, including highly regulated ones like the Tour de France.

The jury spent a day deliberating on their verdicts and found the British Cycling Federation not guilty of failing to conduct an undertaking in such a way as to ensure the health and safety of people attending.

Marsden, 41, of Gressingham Drive, Lancaster was found not guilty on two counts. He was cleared of failing to ensure the safety of spectators at the event and he was cleared of failing to make a suitable assessment of the health and safety risks posed to spectators.

A race marshal, Kevin Duckworth, 42, of Addison Street, Accrington, was earlier found not guilty of the charge of failing to ensure his health and safety duties as a marshal were complied with.

A British Cycling Federation spokesman said: “The death of Judith Garrett was a truly tragic incident, and we would again like to extend our deepest sympathies for Ms Garrett’s family and friends.         

"We thank the jury for its attention over what has been a long trial process. We will be making no further comment at this time.”