A MOTORBIKE rider has died after crashing during a race.

Malachi Mitchell-Thomas, aged 20, of Horwich, was killed when he crashed his Burrows Engineering Kawasaki on the approach to Black Hill during the third lap of the Supertwins race at the Vauxhall International North West 200 in Northern Ireland.

The street race was immediately red-flagged and Mr Mitchell-Thomas was treated by medical staff from the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) medical team.

However, he died from his injuries at the scene.

Race organisers said the event, which is held every May in Northern Ireland, was subsequently abandoned.

A statement on their website said: "The organisers of the event, the Coleraine and District Motor Club, would like to offer their heartfelt condolences to Malachi's family and team."

In 1964 the North West 200 was handed over to the Coleraine & District Motor Club which still runs the event.

In 2007, around two million people logged on from nearly every part of the world to watch what has become Ireland's largest sporting event and one of the world's fastest road races.