The death of Britain's former world motorcycling champion, Barry Sheene, has been announced.
Mr Sheene, who was 52, died in Australia after a long battle against cancer.
He won the World Motorcycle Championships twice in the 1970s and became famous for overcoming his numerous crashes on the track.
In 1975, a blown rear tyre caused him to crash at 280kmh during practice for the Daytona 200 in Florida. His left leg was shattered, he broke six ribs, fractured a wrist, and wrecked his collar-bone.
Mr Sheene was diagnosed with cancer of the throat and stomach last July. He had shunned chemotherapy treatment, which he labelled 'poison', and had tried numerous other treatments.
Australian motorcycle legends Mick Doohan and Wayne Gardner have paid tribute to Mr Sheene, who moved to Australia to ease the pain caused by arthritis.
Australia's five-time world 500cc motorcycle champion Mick Doohan said Sheene was a close friend and a great influence on his career. 1987 world motorcycle champion Wayne Gardner said Mr Sheene was his hero, and he had expected him to pull through.
He is survived by his wife Stephanie and two children, a daughter Sidonie and a son Freddie, both in their early teens.
