Market Rasen survives quake scare

Market Rasen racecourse has escaped virtually unscathed from the earthquake that shook the UK early this morning.

Officials report hardly any damage to the track, grandstand and other buildings even though a point near the Lincolnshire town was the epicentre of the tremor that recorded 5.2 on the Richter scale.

“There’s no damage to the course itself and the stands and buildings also appear to be fine but we’ve got a team of people going round and checking at the moment,” said clerk of the course Nick Patton.

“Everything seems to be in order. Obviously there are one or two pictures off the walls and things like that but nothing dramatic.

“I live 20 minutes away and the house shook rapidly for 10 seconds or so. Cupboard doors opened and things like that but there was nothing structural.

“For the short period it lasted it was quite violent. I jumped out of bed, my wife had a scream, but our 11-day old daughter Alice slept through the whole thing.”

Patton is back from paternity leave preparing for the extra meeting the jumps course is staging on Sunday.

“It’s last minute sort of stuff. We didn’t get the final go ahead until Monday afternoon,” he continued.

“The ground is good on the hurdles course and slower, good to soft in places, on the chase course. The forecast isn’t too bad so we should have decent ground. We’re pretty pleased with it.”