Two riders have been taken to hospital after an incident during the Supersport qualifying session on the first day of practice for the North West 200 on Wednesday.

Northern Ireland’s Gary McCoy was transported to hospital by ambulance while Englishman Craig Neve was taken from the circuit by air ambulance.

Neve has sustained significant injuries, but both his and McCoy’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

“Two riders were involved in an incident at Mill Road roundabout on the NW200 course six minutes into the Supersport qualifying session,” read a statement from race organisers.

“Both riders were injured in the incident and the on-course medical team attended the scene. The riders were subsequently transferred to hospital, one by road ambulance and the other by air ambulance.”

Red flags had been displayed to halt the Supersport session in the early stages of their practice and a lengthy delay ensued before the bikes were allowed back on the course to complete two laps before practice concluded for the day and the roads re-opened.

Earlier in the delay, the opening Superbike session was twice delayed by oil deposits on the circuit which required red flags to be displayed.

Further practice is scheduled to take place on Thursday, with roads closing from 09:00 BST to 15:00, followed by three scheduled races on Thursday evening.

The injuries to the riders at the event in Northern Ireland came two days after England’s Owen Jenner, 21, and New Zealander Shane Richardson, 29, were fatally injured when 11 riders crashed during the British Supersport Championship race at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

Another rider, Tom Tunstall, suffered a broken bone in his neck in the incident while five riders sustained minor injuries and three escaped unharmed.