The life of a young motor racing champion was honoured by silence, noise, and a blaze of colour on Saturday night.
The sky above Cowdenbeath was decorated with 643 balloons the racing number of schoolboy Keir Millar who died following a crash at Lochgelly Raceway last Saturday.
The 11-year-old from Lockerbie passed away at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, having sustained serious injuries during a Ministox race.
Just last year he had won the Ninja Kart Championship in England.
At Cowdenbeath Racewall on Saturday, drivers and spectators united in silence for one minute the junior racers given extra prominence in the centre of the stadium after which a minute’s applause was held to again honour the young champion’s achievements on the track.
A bumper crowd had descended upon Central Park for the memorial, a sign of the grief felt among motorsport fans in the region, while racers painted gold bumpers and other tributes on their cars to pay their respects.
While acknowledging motor racing’s excellent safety record, the organiser of Saturday’s meet told The Courier that Keir’s death had been particularly challenging for enthusiasts.
“It sent shockwaves through the whole community,” David Borthwick said. “He was so young and talented.
“It’s a huge loss when anybody in racing dies but when they are so young it’s particularly hard.”
Police confirmed last week that they are investigating Keir’s death.