The Isle of Man TT is a worldwide event, where riders from around the globe come to tackle to the world’s most famous road race.

And with the riders, come their friends, families, fans and compatriots.

Well, this year is no different and this week Sam Turton had the pleasure of meeting some of Sweden’s biggest TT fans.

The 100 fans have come from all across Sweden to meet at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport where they met their chartered flight bound for Ronaldsway.

Group organiser Jan ’Silja’ Siljestrom told me he’s been here 12 or 13 times from his first time in 1970.

Silja said the group are here for two reasons, because they love the island and the TT atmosphere but more so than that, they’re here to support Bjorn Gunnarsson.

He said things have changed quite a lot since then: ’When I first came, we had to empty the bike’s fuel tank and then a crane lifted them onto the deck of the boat three at a time.

’Once here, we had to line up and wait to get some petrol from the one gas pump.’

He explained that Bjorn is Sweden’s best and most famous road racer as well as being a motorcycle policeman.

He said: ’Over here the Irish boys are super quick, but in Sweden, Bjorn can catch anyone on a bike, he’s a really nice guy and he’s pretty quick.’

Silja said while he’s here, he’s covering the TT from the media centre for an online Swedish radio station Motorcykelradion.se.

I asked Silja aside from racing, what are some of his favourite things about the island?

’I like Bushy’s, it reminds me of a brewery I work for at home, Närke Kulturbryggeri, we are small compared to others, but we make great beer and so do Bushy’s.’

While talking to Silja, he introduced me to his friends, married couple Lisbeth Hjelm and Tomas Tornblom, who are both here as marshals.

Lisbeth said: ’We follow Bjorn here and we’ve marshalled in the island six times now, we just love it.

’We’ve been in different parts of the course, and this year, we’ll have been at Gooseneck, Bungalow and Windy Corner.

’We worked out to cover every part of the course as marshals, we just have to come for another 50 years or so, but that won’t happen.’

In Sweden, Lisbeth is a police inspector.

At home, she is a certified clerk of the course but in the island, the couple just seem happy to be marshals.

’We don’t get to see a lot of the island, but the people are so welcoming and friendly, we’ve made friends here who we talk to all year round and it’s great to see them when we come back.

’We also have first aid training so can assist in an emergency and you know if you save just one life, then it has all been worth it.’

The couple also let me into a secret which Bjorn only discovered this past weekend.

Following his accident here last year, they decided to raise money to buy him new racing leathers.

’We raised funds for it without him knowing, the money doesn’t matter, it just matters that he’s safe, otherwise it’s not right.

’We have four pages of names, which we also gave him. So many people wanted to help, he’s pretty famous in Sweden. It’s well known he races in the Isle of Man TT so he’s a popular guy.’

While talking to Silja and Lisbeth, I asked why Bjorn is called ’The Bear’, the answer, Bjorn is Swedish for bear.

But then Silja explained why this is extra relevant ’Carlsberg says "it’s probably the best beer in the world", so Bjorn says on his website he’s "Probably the best bear in the world".’

There is no doubting the pride his fans have in following Bjorn across to the island.

Lisbeth added: ’As long as Bjorn keeps coming, we’ll keep coming.

’Some people may go to Spain or Greece because they want a sunny holiday, we come here because we love it.’

Silja said the group is planning to come back next year: ’The family who run the Trevelyan Hotel are so great to us and put us in their other hotel too, we’ve stayed with them for years.’

I decided I had to meet the man they call the bear.

Meeting him and the BG-Racing team at the grandstand, the seemingly natural and instant friendliness of the Swedish people emerges.

He said: ’I love this island, I always want to come back and this year we’ve been so lucky with the weather.

’The fans are amazing. As a child I wanted to race in the TT but never thought I would until 2012 when the chance came in the MGP, and everyone is so friendly, the locals are really helpful.’

Bjorn extended his thanks to Paul Phillips, Milky Quayle and everyone else involved in organising the TT.

On the number of fans who have come to see him he says: ’I’m here for pleasure and the number of people here doesn’t pressure me really.

’It’s just a joy to share my love of the TT with so many people, those who come back every year and those who are here for the first time.’

While he’s been in the island, Bjorn has been to the Manx Museum and House of Manannan to learn more about the Manx and the connection with Scandinavia.

’In Scandinavia the sport is growing and I hope to see more racers from there come here and road racing continues to grow. I don’t have the money of the other teams, I just compete with my myself to go quicker.

’I just want to finally say, from all us foreign racers, we are so grateful for the welcome we get and the TT and MGP being kept alive.

’For those interested in motorsport this is the place to be, the Isle of Man and the mountain course, thank you.’