Motorcycle hopeful in tragic fatal accident

JAMES DEAN hoped to spend his life racing motorcycles.

But the 21-year-old former Perth student and son of a New Zealand racing legend has died a hero after saving a woman from almost certain death on the tracks of a London railway station.

Mr Dean was electrocuted moments after freeing the woman, who got her foot trapped while trying to walk across the tracks to reach another platform.

Police investigating the accident said James, whose father Robbie Dean was New Zealand's motorcycle racing champion in 1989, rushed to the woman's aid but lost his footing as he retraced his steps across the tracks.

He fell on a live line carrying 650 volts.

The tragedy happened at London's above-ground Ladbroke Grove railway station late on Sunday night.

James left Perth in August after spending six weeks with his mother Claudine and school friends.

He had lived and worked alongside his father at Mr Dean's motorcycle shop in New Zealand for the past four years.

Before that James lived with his mother in Perth and attended Ballajura Community College.

He was Ms Dean's only child. She will fly from Perth to London this week where she will meet family travelling from France. She plans to fly with her son's body to New Zealand for his funeral.

James had gone to Europe with the dream of securing a job riding motorcycles, hoping to emulate the success of his father and grandfather.

Ms Dean said he had been in England a few days when the accident happened. He had gone there from France after being offered a trial ride for a British motorcycle team.

The break would have given him a stepping stone into superbikes. Speaking from New Zealand, Mr Dean said three teams had been keen to give his son a test run.

"He was a natural rider and his aim was to get New Zealand back on the map again. He was aiming for the top," he said.

Ms Dean said she was always worried about her son racing motorcycles. But she encouraged him to travel the world, meet people and take all the opportunities life offered him.

Ms Dean and James moved to Perth 10 years ago. She said motorcycle racing was in her son's blood. When he graduated four years ago, he moved to New Zealand to do an apprenticeship alongside his father in Mr Dean's motorcycle shop.

He had been too young to ride in Perth but was well known and was widely reported as a promising rider in New Zealand.

Ms Dean said that while they lived together in Perth she had wanted to give him an education through travelling and broaden his vision on life.

They had backpacked together through South-East Asia, including China, Tibet and Indonesia, and visited her family in France.

This was his first big trip alone.

"He was really happy when he left," Ms Dean said. "He was so excited to travel on his own with just his backpack, to meet people and all the things that go with travelling.

"He had six weeks with me and catch ing up with his mates before he left, which was such a good time.

"I was so proud of him. He was always working and busy. He just had so much energy. He was extremely fit and really keen to make the most of himself.

"It became crystal clear to me yesterday that I couldn't let him make this trip alone."

An inquest into James' death is due to be held in London next year.