Army accidents mar hospice fun-day

Four soldiers and a civilian were injured yesterday in two separate accidents at army displays at a hospice fun day at Ayr racecourse.

Crowds watched in horror as two privates and a member of the public were injured when a Land Rover crashed into an army parachute slide and sent it crashing to the ground. Private Andrew Nicol, who was seriously hurt in the accident, was last night in intensive care at Ayr hospital suffering severe head and abdominal injuries after falling 40 feet. Civilian Alic McLoud, of Kilmarnock, sustained a shoulder and arm injury when he fell 10 feet from the same slide. A second soldier, who has not been named, is being treated for a minor arm injury. Hours later, an army motorcycle display team crashed shortly before 4pm leaving two soldiers injured, one seriously. The army is holding its own inquiry into the two incidents, alongside that of the Health and Safety Executive.