THE TT Marshals' Association is appealing for volunteers to ensure it can meet its minimum marshalling figure of just over 500 ready for the first practice session of this year's Manx Grand Prix on Saturday.

Although there are more than 850 volunteers signed up to do at least some sessions over the fortnight, the first Saturday (tomorrow) is traditionally hard to cover.

Marshals' chairman Bill Carden said: 'Saturday can be a nightmare because a lot oF the people we use have not yet arrived and it is asking a lot of people to take time off work to cover all the event.

'On Saturday we still need about 80 more people for practices to go ahead

Even with minimum manning levels, cover is far from simple to organise because marshals have to be placed at strategic points around the course – it is no use having 50 at Quarterbridge if there are only five on the mountain.

'It's good when people can be flexible and move around as needed but of course groups of friends want to stay together and if people are volunteers you can ask them but you can't tell them.

'More than 800 people sounds like a lot but remember some of them may well only be doing one or two sessions so it is not an exact calculation.'

To ensure cover over the whole course, there are now four response cars to ferry extra marshals around to points where there are not enough people.

'We drop people off where there are gaps but practice week is traditionally extremely tight,' Mr Carden said.

As part of this year's campaign Mr Carden said 4,500 letters had been sent out not just locally and in the UK but also as far afield as Japan and America.

'As you can see we now throw the net far and wide to recruit people,' he added.

Recruitment drives have also taken place outside various locations across the Island.

Danni Crowe, wife of TT Sidecar lap record holder Nick, said: 'The marshals do a fantastic job and show selfless dedication every time they go out onto the course, either watching racers come home safely or helping them in the event of an accident.

'It really is a worthwhile job from which people do take a lot of enjoyment.'

New volunteers should rest assured they will be placed with experienced people and not asked to do anything outside their comfort zone, Mr Carden said.

'If anyone out there wants to have a go you will not be thrown in at the deep end. If you are here and planning to watch the races anyway, why not do your bit to help it go ahead?

'One of the benefits is watching the racing from some new and interesting places and you are supporting the racers, who get no financial reward for taking part and could be future TT stars.'

Anyone wanting to volunteer or who simply would like a chat to find out more about what is involved should either visit the TT Marshals' office behind the Grandstand or call them on 618191.