‘Scotland’s finest cyclist Graeme Obree was found hanging from the rafters of a barn just seconds before death’, the Daily Record reported today. The harrowing events took place at a remote farm just a few miles from the Obree family home in Irvine just before Christmas. Ambulance men rushed the former track star to hospital in Glasgow where it was feared he would suffer brain damage.

The man who won a World championship, aboard a bike he built himself using parts from a washing machine, was reported to be recovering at home with his family and cannot remember the events. The Daily Record quoted Graeme’s wife Anne: “Christmas is always a stressful time for Graeme because his brother died in a car crash and isn’t around”. “He doesn’t want to talk about anything. The children know that their father has an illness and we are all just trying to come to terms with it.”

Graeme launched a comeback bid last year that was cruelly ended when he hit a concrete block in training breaking a knee-cap and his sternum. Graeme was diagnosed as a severe manic depressive three years ago.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Graeme, his family and friends.