AN investigation has been launched after a 32-year-old man died in a motocross accident in Mepal on Sunday.

Tom Smith is understood to have been involved in a collision while taking part in a competition at the Mepal Moto Park, on Block Fen, at about 12.45pm.

Ambulance and Magpas Helimedix crews attended the scene.

A spokesman for Magpas said: “The Magpas Helimedix team arrived at Mepal, to treat a man in his 30s who was involved in a motor bike collision.

“Tragically, the patient died despite the best efforts of the Magpas team and all emergency services on scene. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

It is believed that Smith was a married farm worker who came from Crawley in Sussex. He had travelled to Mepal to take part in an event with dozens of other riders from across the region.

A spokesman for Fenland District Council (FDC) confirmed that the authority’s Environmental Health team would be conducting a joint investigation with Cambridgeshire police into the circumstances around the incident.

According to FDC, Mepal Motopark operates under the ‘14-day rule’, which permits them to a limited amount of racing every year. An application was entered last summer in a bid to extent its permission but the council said the plans were incomplete and the plans were rebuffed.

It is understood that a new application has been entered by organisers at the Moto Park and will be considered by FDC in February.

On social networking site Facebook, a page dedicated to the memory of the motocross rider has already attracted almost 3,500 followers.

A tribute posted by friend Rich Troth said: “Tom was a real genuine bloke who was not only a great customer of Teamsnapper but became a good friend of myself and Kaka and will be sorely missed not only for his genial manner but also for his fantastic exciting style of riding a bike.”

Family member Luke Smith said: “He was a great person and anyone knew him would agree that he was a pleasure to be around.”

Ed Cudlipp added: “Rest in peace buddy, you were a great rider and will stay in the thoughts of many motocrossers!”