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‘Our Ollie was just so special to everybody’

From the The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, first published Thursday 26th Jul 2007.

Ollie Bridewell's devastated family this week spoke of their pride in a son who was also their best friend.

Team Bridewell, made up of his dad Marcus, mum Liz, sister Charlotte and brother Tommy, have been a close knit unit since the brothers started racing as young boys.

Mrs Bridewell, 51, said: "We are all struggling. Ollie was our best friend and Tommy and Charlotte's best friend and everyone else's best friend it seems.

"He packed in so much in 21 years, more than he was due I think. I don't feel he felt hard done by but we feel rocked.

"We think he was meant to be here for a short while because he was so good, so perfect, so individual and so loved that perhaps he couldn't have been here too much longer.

"We were just so proud of him. The three children made us so proud, Ollie made us hugely proud.

"Ollie was special to everybody. He was just so individual and we are going to miss him hugely. I'm sure Ollie is up there telling us Come on, move on."

"We have had hundreds of tributes from people who knew Ollie. It's so, so thoughtful of everybody and some of the letters have been incredibly moving.

"Ollie would have been so chuffed, he loved chatting to people. Once he met someone he never forgot them.

"He would take time to speak to them. He always had a smile and always had time to stop and chat which used to annoy the team because it made them late for the garage but he said you can't ignore people'.'' Mr Bridewell, 46, who himself was a motorcycle racer, said: "Ollie was one for his manners, he couldn't stand bad manners, and he was a very modest boy."

Mrs Bridewell tried to drive to Leicestershire after she was told of the crash but couldn't get there because of road chaos caused by the floods.

She saw his body at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Sunday, accompanied by her husband, daughter and mother.

She said: "We went to say goodbye to him which was lovely and I was pleased we did it."

The Bridewell family always went to British race meetings to support Ollie, whose nickname was the Milky Bar Kid, because of his ginger hair, glasses and boyish looks. They all knew the danger of the sport.

Mrs Bridewell said: "British Superbikes is considered to be one of the top domestic series in the world. Up until this point Ollie had been very lucky, he had suffered no serious injuries.

"He had come off at high speeds but like every other rider out there in 99 out of 100 occasions he landed in the gravel pit and luckily was able to stand up and walk away.

"Ollie was physically at his peak. He was a big strong lad but it wouldn't have mattered, he hit his head and neck and that was that.

"Ollie wanted to be the champion and he was just knocking at the door.

"He was getting huge recognition from the TV commentators and big respect from all the riders for what he was achieving on his bike compared to the factory bikes, those bikes that are the best. A lot of the riders get paid huge amounts of money but the boys have had to work to help pay for their racing and did their fitness in the evening."

Ollie went to All Cannings Primary School followed by Lavington School in Market Lavington.

He left school at 16 and successfully completed a three year apprenticeship in mechanics and received a City and Guilds qualification from Trowbridge College.

Lavington School headteacher Martin Watson said former pupil Ollie Bridewell was a much liked young man.

"He was a great student, really helpful and co-operative. He wasn't the most academic of students but he would try his best and he had a good balance between getting involved in his sport and working as hard as he needed to,'' he said.

"He was a really nice lad to have at school and he was quite modest about his success on the racing track. He was pleased about how he did but he wouldn't be bragging about it.

"He was popular with his peer group and the staff and we are all devastated by his death."

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