CHANGES have been made to health and safety measures at mountain bike races following the death of a spectator five years ago, a pre-inquest hearing has been told.

Judith Garrett, 29, was hit by an out-of-control bike while watching a race at Tan y Graig Farm, near Llangollen, on August 31, 2014.

Her partner, Peter Walton, was competing in the event.

Miss Garrett, of Prudhoe, Northumberland, was airlifted to the Royal University Hospital in Stoke but died the following day.

At Mold Crown Court last year Michael Marsden, 42, who organised the event, was cleared of failing to conduct it in such a way that people were not exposed to risk.

The British Cycling Federation (BCF), which sanctioned the race, was also acquitted of failing to ensure the health and safety of people attending, and race marshal Kevin Duckworth was found not guilty of failing to take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of others.

John Gittins, coroner for North Wales (East and Central), told a pre-inquest hearing in Ruthin that it was unusual to proceed with an inquest after criminal proceedings but it was necessary to do so for him to consider whether he needed to issue a Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths.

“We need to focus on what lessons have been learned and what changes have been made, if any, to something which might have been a contributory factor in Judith’s death,” he said.

Barrister Prashant Popat, representing the BCF, said: “There have been changes made in the organisation of this kind of event, not all directly linked to this incident, but were afoot beforehand.”

Those changes included risk assessment procedures and suitable training for organisers, he added.

The coroner asked for the BCF to address the observations and concerns of Miss Garrett’s family to be included in its report to him on what steps have been taken.

He also asked Mr Popat and the family’s legal representatives to forward him their views on whether the inquest should be before a jury, although he said he would prefer to sit alone.

“If a jury is not required it could almost be dealt with on paper without calling any evidence,” said.

The hearing was adjourned to a date to be fixed.