Mike Kellyꦜ, once a top Isle of Man TT racer, has passed away in Australia at the a♎ge of 88.

His🅺 wife Patricia’s statement to the TT Riders Association read: “It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that I lost my best friend and the love of my life.

“My hus🅺band, Mike Kelly, passed away at 7.10am Australian time.

“After many years of declining he🐬alth and several months of extreme pain, he is now at peac🤪e.

“Mike w🐎as▨ a hero to many of the youngsters and not so young in the 50s and 60s.

“Now he wi꧅ll be with his beloved parents and his daughter Roz, who was taken from us at far too young an age.

“Enjoy your freedom from pain, my love. You will always be my he🦋ro. I’ll join you one day XXX.”

Kelly was from the Isle of Man, and made ෴his Manx Grand Prix debut in 1957.

He was fಞifth in the 1960 Seni💝or race, won by Phil Read, who went on to become a multiple-time TT winner.

Kelly m🐼ade the podium at the Manx Grand Prix twice.

He debuted at the Isle of Man TT in 1959, became a Ma🔜nx MCC committee member, and wa♚s deputy clerk of the course.

In his later ye🦩ars, Kelly and his wife would spend half a year each on the Isle of Man and living in Australia.

His daughter hopes he take his ashes for a final lap of the Mountain Course on a Norton lat🔯er this year, according to the Isle of Man Today.