Rider is killed in motorbike race

The crash happened during the Supersport 600 race

A rider has died following a crash at the Tandragee 100 motorbike race.

Martin Finnegan, 29 and from Lusk in County Dublin, died in the accident at Marlacoo Corner during the Supersport 600 race shortly after 1400 BST.

Three spectators were injured, two males and one female. The woman was taken to hospital with head injuries.

None of the injuries suffered by the spectators are thought to be life-threatening. The meeting was abandoned after the accident.

Mr Finnegan had earlier won the open race, the 43rd Irish road race victory of his career.

The married father-of-one was competing this year for the JMF Millsport Yamaha team.

As news of his death spread through the motorcycling fraternity, tributes began to appear on his website.

A former Manx Grand Prix winner he had been racing since 1997.

Father-of-one Martin Finnegan was killed

A friend of the family, Barry Symons, said it was a tragic day.

"He was a young man of 29 doing what he loved and he was doing it very well," he said.

"This year, he was really looking forward to being on top, riding winning bikes and getting back to professional status which he warranted and it is tragic that this has happened."

Rider John Donnan was killed in last year's Tandragee event.

The 42-year-old crashed at the chicane near the start-finish area when attempting to avoid another competitor who had lost control of his bike.

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