House decorated for Isle of Man Island Games team

David Harry organised the cycling events at the last Island Games in 2003

A cycling enthusiast has decorated his house to welcome visitors from the Isle of Man for the Island Games.

David Harry organised cycling events at the last Island Games in 2003 and witnessed a "remarkable win" by British professional road racing cyclist Mark Cavendish, who was then 18.

He said some of the Isle of Man team would be staying in a hotel close to his home and that they would see his decorations as they arrived and left.

He said it was a "sensible" gesture.

The Island Games 2023 start on Saturday.

Mr Harry said: "Given the fact that I've been involved in cycling for so long, having a cycling theme came to mind."

Of Mark Cavendish, he said: "Mark as a virtual unknown 18-year-old won the criterium in the 2003 Island Games and I was actually the organiser of the cycling events in 2003.

Mr Harry hopes his house will be noticed by Isle of Man team members

"It was quite an exciting race."

He said: "If you speak to cycling people from the Isle of Man, they will often say that in actual fact Mark's win here was the start of their realisation that he really was a very, very competent rider."

Mr Harry, former chair of the Guernsey Commonwealth Games Association, said he was looking forward to the "friendliness" of the event and seeing success for islanders.

He said: "In other games we are struggling often to compete against the bigger countries, the bigger nations, so I think it's really a question of seeing Guernsey do well.

"Success is so fantastic, it's so uplifting."

Mr Harry said the Isle of Man was "a great place" and if they were to come second after Guernsey in the games he "certainly wouldn't object".

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