A rider who crashed during practice for the Isle of Man TT races was said to be in a "critical" condition after sustaining serious head injuries.

Seamus Greene, who was riding for the Martin Bullock Racing team, was in collision with a Japanese rider Jun Maeda on the opening lap of the solo practice sessions on Monday evening. The two were were flown by helicopter to the Noble's hospital in Strang, near Douglas, but Greene, from the Republic of Ireland, was later transferred to the mainland.

The pair crashed coming out of the Union Mills section of the 33.73-mile Mountain Course which comes approximately three miles after the start-finish line in Douglas and where competitors reach speeds in excess of 100mph. Martin Bullock, Greene's team principal, said: "An emergency team was brought in from Belfast to take Seamus from Noble's to Walton Hospital in Liverpool. Our thoughts and prayers are with Seamus and his family." Maeda sustained "serious" pelvic injuries.