An elderly spectator was fighting for his life tonight after suffering severe burns when three motorbikes collided in the Skerries 100 road race.
The 70-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital after being covered in burning fuel when the competitors crashed in the final race of the day.
The accident happened on Duke’s Bend, between the Dublin Road and Balgungan, in north Co Dublin shortly before 5pm.
Two of the 24 bike riders in the Grand Final received minor injuries.
The man was rushed to Beaumont Hospital for treatment where staff said he was in a critical condition. A spokeswoman added the extent of his injures were still being assessed by staff in accident and emergency.
The Grand Final was abandoned just two laps into the 10-lap race.
One of the bikers, Gary Johnson from Lincolnshire, suffered a broken collar bone while a second rider, Michael Weldon from Swords, escaped with minor injuries.
Race organisers said the seriously injured man is from Cookstown in Co Tyrone.
The Skerries 100 is the premier race meeting in the south of Ireland and is run by the Loughshinny Motorcycles Supporters Club.
PA