North West 200 crash site where rider somersaulted onto car becomes fan hotspot

The crash site where a North West 200 rider was thrown 20 feet into the air before landing on a car became a hotspot for bike fans to visit over the weekend.

Paul Cassidy was catapulted over a wall after colliding with a safety barrier at Millbank Avenue. Miraculously he walked away with minor injuries including some bruised ribs.

Footage of Cassidy somersaulting through the air went viral on social media, while the man himself admitted he was lucky to be alive after surviving the terrifying ordeal.

Read more: Furious Michael Dunlop rages at North West 200 official after race exclusion

On Saturday many bike fans stopped at the site, which is located just down from the start/finish line on the Triangle circuit, to take photographs and selfies. Many instantly recognised the scene after watching the footage of Cassidy's crash.

Reflecting on his incident, Cassidy told the BBC: "Everything just slows down. I don't know why that is. It went into slow motion. I tried to think do I go up the coast road, but I was going to fast for that.

"I then saw the padding on the wall and thought that's where we're going. It was just a case of trying to miss it and not follow the bike in. Just as I was about to hit it, I jumped off my seat and that's what sent me into the air."

He added: "You just sort of lie there and catch your breath. You lift your visor and get a big gulp of fresh air. I took my helmet off and stood up, and all the doctors told me to sit down and did all the checks. I can't thank them enough, the medical staff were fantastic."

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