Mid Antrim 150: Race day cancelled after oil, nails and glass 'deliberately' left on track

A clean-up operation underway at Clough after oil was deposited on the circuit

The Mid Antrim 150 race day, scheduled to take place on Saturday, has been cancelled after oil, glass and nails were "deliberately" deposited on parts of the Clough circuit overnight.

A brief statement issued by the organising club read: "Sadly due to circumstances beyond our control race day of Mid Antrim 150 road race is cancelled".

The PSNI confirmed that they received a report of the incident "in the early hours of Saturday morning" and "efforts are ongoing to clean the roads".

Organisers had come in for some criticism for deciding to go ahead with their event in light of the death of the Queen on Thursday.

Practicing for the event took place on Friday at the 3.5-mile public roads circuit in county Antrim.

It is the second time the Mid Antrim 150 race day has been cancelled because of oil and other substances being deposited on the track, with a similar scenario having occurred in 2011.

"Police in Ballymena received a report in the early hours of Saturday 10th September that glass, nails and oil had been deliberately spilled on Drumagrove Road, Cloughwater Road and Dunbought Road. Efforts are ongoing to clean these roads," read the statement from the PSNI.

The police have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.