The girlfriend of a champion motorcyclist who was tragically killed in a crash said she 'knew instantly' he had died after she was unable to reach him on the phone.
Ryan Leigh Hastings, known as Titch, was riding his beloved green Kawasaki Ninja motorbike called ‘Zoe’ when tragedy struck on August 21 at around 4.35pm. Distraught Chloe Doughty hadn't heard from her boyfriend for more than five hours so she retraced a previous trip they had gone on to Aberystwyth, Wales and discovered a road was closed.
Speaking to Birmingham Live about the day of the accident, the 22-year-old said: "When I finished work I couldn’t get hold of Ryan, which was unusual.
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“After five and a half hours of his friends not hearing from him either I went round his house and the lights were off and the dog was barking. I decided to drive around and when I got to the bypass and saw it closed off by police I knew instantly it was to do with him.
“I went through the cordon and the police stopped me but I said: ‘I won’t go until I know if he’s safe.’ After I confirmed his details and date of birth they told me he’d died. He was my whole life and then he was gone.
“I fell in love with him on his bike on that road where he died. He’d take me out on the back of the bike and on that special day we’d ended up in Aberystwyth and come back there after midnight. I knew then.”
Former British mini-moto champion Ryan had raced since he was a child and liked to recount how he had once beaten motorbike racer Chaz Davies in a race on the World Superbike and Moto GP star’s own track.
Police are continuing to investigate the crash, which happened on the A456 in Worcestershire. Ryan was brought up on a farm in Cleobury in Shropshire and his family later moved to Kidderminster where he settled down. His mum and stepdad Kim and Bob Hastings, who now live in Merthyr Tydfil, are coming to terms with the tragedy along with his brother Craig Summers.
“Ryan had so many friends all over the country,” added Chloe. “He was as daft as a brush and so loveable. When he met his friends he’d give kisses on the cheek rather than a fist pump and got away with it because it was him.
“Motorbikes were Ryan’s passion from since he was a child. He’d been riding them since he was a little dot and became a qualified mechanic. When he took me out on the bike he’d say: ‘You don’t need to worry, I was British champion’.
“He would talk about beating motorbiker Chaz Davies when racing him on his own track. He’d done road racing, go-karting, and was a brilliant mountain climber. He was always full of energy – he could never sit still. Titch loved the outdoors and being in the woods or up a mountain. He was wild and very funny and had a story for everything. He loved to party.”
Ryan was so popular that a GoFundMe appeal towards his funeral raised £3,840. Chloe said she was in limbo not knowing exactly what happened to Ryan on the day he died and is urging witnesses to come forward to the police to help give her and his family “closure”.
“He knew his way around a bike, which is why it’s so hard not knowing what happened on the day he died,” added Chloe. “It was a day with perfect driving conditions.
“There were apparently four or five other cars around when the accident happened but the police don’t yet have clear evidence or footage. My heart goes out to anyone who saw it but please come forward and talk to the police so me and the family can have closure.
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“The worst part is not knowing what happened to Ryan. I’m prepared for whatever the outcome is – I just need to know.”
West Mercia Police has said that the fatal collision happened involved a red Vauxhall Corsa on the A456 in Bewdley. PC Saman Barzanji from West Mercia Police said: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this sad time. I would like to appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information or dash-cam footage which may help with the investigation to call me.”
PC Barzanji can be reached by calling 101 and then extension 7733402 or via email at saman.barzanji@westmercia.police.uk.
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