BOLTON Wanderers Football Club has pleaded guilty to a court charge following the death of a 14-year-old boy who was killed riding his motorbike on a car park at the Reebok Stadium.

Christopher Ormesher died as he was riding his 125cc motorbike which ran into chains erected in car park B at the Reebok Stadium in August, 2003.

His parents watched helplessly as Christopher, who lived in Chorley, crashed into the chain which then "rode up the teenager's neck causing severe injuries. He was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital but died shortly after his arrival.

A legal representative of the club pleaded guilty at Bolton Magistrates Court on Tuesday to one offence under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974.

The charge said the club failed "to conduct its undertaking at the Reebok Stadium in such a way as to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the safety of persons not in their employment".

Representatives of the club have now been ordered to attend a sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court on July 5 where they will face an unlimited fine.

It follows an inquest into the teenager's death when Bolton Wanderers was criticised for failing to act on safety advice from Bolton Council - despite two accidents at the same spot in December, 2002 and May, 2003.

The inquest hearing was told that no action was taken even after three letters were written to the club.

Gary Parr, Bolton Council's prosecutor, told Bolton Magistrates Court: "The club continued to fall short of the appropriate standard of health and safety and the breach led to the death of a child.

"The risk was an obvious one and the breach of duty continued over a period of time."

A statement issued by the club after Tuesday's court case said: "Christopher's death on August 31, 2003 was a profound tragedy and the football club wishes to extend its deepest sympathy to the Ormesher family.

"This case will now considered by the Crown Court and in those circumstances it would be an inappropriate to comment in great detail at this stage.

"The club would like, however, to emphasise that it had taken extensive safety measures prior to the accident, full details of which will be presented at the Crown Court hearing."

Bolton Council launched a health and safety investigation into the death and decided to take legal action after the club was criticised at an inquest into Christopher's death in March.

Bolton Wanderers was criticised at the Bolton inquest for not marking the car park chains with safety signs, despite two accidents happening in the same place - in December, 2002 and May, 2003.

Bolton Council's environmental health department had visited the stadium after the first incident and agreed with the Wanderers that reflective sleeves should be bought, the hearing was told in March.

They were then purchased and placed on the chains.

But after the second incident it was agreed that chevron boards needed to be placed over the chains to draw further attention to them.

These were not ordered by the club and the sleeves were not on the chain when Christopher died.

Graham Olive, technical officer for Bolton Council's environmental health, told the inquest: "We agreed reflective sleeves weren't enough and chevron boards would be the best method to make the chain visible.

"I asked to be kept updated but after writing three times to the club, I received no contact."

The accident happened after Christopher's parents Stuart and Brenda Ormesher had taken their son to the stadium's car park B to test his 125cc Honda motorbike before a competition in Preston in October.

Christopher had dreams of becoming a professional motorbike rider and had been riding since the age of five.

He was wearing a crash helmet and full leathers when his bike hit the metal chain.

Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce tried to help save the life of the teenager after he was alerted by a witness who ran into the stadium to raise the alarm.

Mr Allardyce used his mobile phone to relay information from paramedics to Christopher's father. Paramedics continued the efforts to save the teenager but he died at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Mr Stuart Ormesher, Christopher's father, said that he did not know how the family would proceed or if they would now be seeking compensation from the club.

He said: "I don't know what I'm going to do, I've not had time to reflect on it."

He said that the inquest had shown that the club knew there was a problem because of the previous accidents there.

Mr Ormesher added: "Christopher had a lot of experience on motorbikes, over 10 years. My point is, my son didn't have a chance."