Members of the island’s motorcycling community gathered on Laxey seafront on Remembrance Sunday in what has has now become an established November ritual.

The minute’s noise, at midday, was organised by photograph archivist and racing historian Bill Snelling to remember, in his words, ’friends who have passed under the chequered flag’.

Despite torrential rain overnight and during the morning, a turnout of about 30 motorcyclists donned waterproofs specially to attend, thus ensuring bright dry weather for the entire event. In fact a sizeable crowd of perhaps 100 people assembled, including people on foot and in cars too.

’We were a bit worried when we heard the rain coming down earlier on,’ Mr Snelling said.

’But we are really pleased to see so many people here, including some older people whose motorcycling days are behind them.’

The event started in 2011 after the family of Moto GP racer Marco Simoncelli organised a minute’s noise following his death in a racing accident.

Mr Snelling embraced the idea with the intention not just of remembering well-known people in the racing community but personal friends as well.

Chairman Nigel Dobson was one of three Garff commissioners there as well as the Garff standard bearer.

The seafront kiosk was serving free tea and coffee along with sandwiches and cakes in return for a charitable donation.

The event was strategically timed so people could attend a church service beforehand if they wanted, or observe the two minutes’ silence at 11am, then take part in the noise afterwards. A large chequered flag ceremoniously signalled the start of the noise and the end one minute later.