Beach racers remain in hospital

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The riders were hurt during a beach motorcycle race

Seventeen motorcyclists injured in a crash at a motorcycle beach race at the weekend are being treated in hospital.

Race organisers said they had no choice but to cancel the event at Weston-super-Mare, which had attracted around 100,000 people.

A fleet of ambulances was called to the accident on Sunday, taking 15 of the injured to nearby hospitals.

Two people who were seriously hurt were flown to Frenchay Hospital, where they are under assessment.

Various hospitals

Motorcyclists had to navigate large sand dunes built by bulldozers on their machines around a three-and-a-half mile (5.6km) track on the sea front.

The event brought tens of thousands of extra visitors into the town for the three-day event, which had been due to end on Sunday.

Seventeen riders remain at various hospitals including Weston General, the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Frenchay Hospital.

Of the two taken to Frenchay, one was suffering from head, neck and chest injuries.

He was transferred from the Weston General for emergency surgery on Sunday and is in intensive care.

On Monday, race organiser Gareth Hockey told BBC News: "We've been here for 27 years, it is a dangerous sport, everyone accepts that.

"There are broken bones and it looked very bad but we've had a lot of support from the riders who want to come back and do it again."