The first public meeting takes place on 28 May

Britain's newest racecourse has been given the green light to stage its inaugural meeting.

Great Leighs will hold an invitation only meeting on 21 April after the British Horseracing Authority carried out their final inspection of the site.

The Essex facility has been plagued by a series of delays, pushing back the opening date by 18 months.

The one-mile floodlit poly-track will be the first new racecourse to open in Britain in 81 years.

The BHA confirmed on Friday that five key areas of improvements highlighted in their inspection have now been completed to their satisfaction.

The Great Leighs course will be the third all-weather floodlit track in Britain and will have a 10,000 seat grandstand which was used at last year's Ryder Cup in Ireland.

The first meeting open to the general public will take place on 28-29 May.