Injured bystanders from last year’s accident-marred Torcher Parade will participate in weekend charity salute.
A group of spectators injured in a motor accident during an Aberdeen parade last year have been invited to play a key role in the annual charity event on Saturday. Seven bystanders were hurt when a motorcycle crashed into the crowd of the Torcher Parade. They were awaiting the torch lit procession to travel along Union Street. Two teens – Lewis Westlake-Tritton and Graeme Hunter &ndash in September were sentenced for reckless driving. Westlake-Tritton received two and a half years’ detention while Hunter was ordered to serve two years. The Aberdeen Students’ Charities Campaign has invited those injured to ride on the lead charities float of the parade, which aims to raise thousands of pounds for Scottish charities in the north-east. Sandy McKinnon, the campaign’s Vice Principal Charities, said: “We want to acknowledge those who were injured last year and let them know that we appreciate their continued support of this charitable event. “The Torcher Parade is successful because of the thousands of people who come out to support us and we wanted to make sure we did something extra for those who had been unexpectedly hit when all they were doing was waiting to see the annual parade process down Union Street.”
Scott Gray, 12, one of the individuals injured in the crowd last year, is looking forward to riding alongside campaign mascot Angus the Bull and Aberdeen University Rector Stephen Robertson, on the lead float.