THE devastated parents of a teenager who fell to his death from a “shambolic” racetrack have expressed huge disappointment with a court’s decision to fine the owners just £3,500.

Matthew Entwistle, 16, died of multiple injuries when he was thrown from his 125cc bike and fell about 50 feet down a ravine at Cowm Quarry, Whitworth.

Cowm Leisure Ltd, which owns the quarry racetrack, pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to failure to discharge a duty of care at the site.

Judge Beverley Lunt, who also ordered the business pay £1,500 costs, said there had been a “catalogue of failures” by the company but stressed no fine could possibly reflect the loss of Matthew to his family.

The judge also hit out at Rossendale Borough Council, which prosecuted the company, after she was told Cown Leisure Ltd had had no health and safety checks by the local authority even though it had a Cerificate for Lawful Use from the council.

She said she found it “astonishing” that no visits were made to the quarry because “one arm of the council doesn't talk to the other”.

After the case, Gail Entwistle, speaking on behalf of herself and husband Adrian, said: “We will never come to terms with the devastating grief of losing our son.”

“We had hoped that the fine imposed would have been large enough to have forced the company to cease operating.

“But it is very important to us that the directors of Cowm Leisure have admitted their guilt.”

Matthew, of Rochdale Road, Britannia, near Bacup, had been riding the Enduro track, which had recently changed from anti-clockwise to clockwise.

He had set off without a safety briefing, against what would have been the usual direction for users when the accident happened, the court heard.

Craig Sephton, QC, prose-cuting for Rossendale Borough Council, said: “We acknowledge the defendant has taken steps to improve health and safety but we are still concerned.”

Andrew Nuttall, representing Cowm Leisure Ltd, which has two directors, John Whittle and Darren Coy, said apart from the “terrible tragedy” there had been no other serious incident.