A teenage rider from south Essex died following a "devastating" incident at a motocross track, race organisers have confirmed.

Emergency services, including the air ambulance, were called to the track at West Row, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on Sunday morning (September 8).

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, a teenager, named locally as 17-year-old George Edwards from Basildon, sadly died at the scene.

George was a member of the Kickstart MX track in Benfleet, which shared a heartfelt tribute on social media saying he was a "great lad always helping at the track" and he will be "greatly missed by us all at our club".

In a post on their Facebook page on Sunday, Mildenhall Motocross Ltd said: "It is with heavy heart I feel I need to post on our Facebook page as no doubt people talk and word gets round quickly. Today we had a fatality." 

They continued: "We feel absolutely devastated as this kind of incident is very rare at Mildenhall Motocross track."  Organisers said this is the third fatality at the site in living memory and the second in the last three years.

They continued: "For a track who plays host to thousands of riders every year we are one of the safest tracks in the country operating four days a week.

"We have already been seen by the authorities that we are as safe as possibly can be.

"It does not make it any easier and this accident was something we could not prevent."

The statement said medics worked hard to help the casualty, and an air ambulance also arrived to assist.  "It is something that we know can happen and hope it never does," they added.

The site remained closed for two days as a mark of respect following the incident.

A Suffolk Police spokesperson confirmed officers attended the scene and said the incident is now with West Suffolk Council health and safety. 

A spokesperson for the East Anglian Air Ambulance also confirmed they attended the scene, but were unable to provide any more information. 

A spokesperson for West Suffolk Council said: "The council has been made aware of the death of a rider at Mildenhall Motocross Ltd track on Sunday September 8 and our thoughts are with all of those involved in this tragic incident as well as their family and friends.

"We are carrying out an investigation as the lead agency for health and safety of incidents of this nature. As such, while this is ongoing, it would be wrong for us to comment further."