LAST night's Manx Grand Prix qualifying session was red flagged following an incident near Ramsey.

Onchan rider Brian Purdey was airlifted to Noble's Hospital after he came off just after Milntown at around 7.20pm.

Reports suggest that his bike caught fire but he has since been described as being in a stable condition in hospital.

Riders were brought back to the Grandstand by travelling marshals and the session was abandoned shortly before 8pm as a result of the clean up operation and fading light.

Earlier in the session Dean Harrison and Steve Oates took out the four newcomers who didn't complete their speed-controlled lap on Monday evening.

Stuart Osborne, Bobby McMullen, American Tony Bakker and Swiss Rider Walo Bertschinger, who went out on the Paton that he is racing in the 500cc Classic Grand Prix class rather than the Honda CBR 599cc that he will ride in the Newcomer A race, were required to complete a guided lap before their first experience of a closed road-qualifying lap.

Osborne was reported to have stopped at near Union Mills which means that he is unable to qualify for Saturday's newcomers race but the remaining three were able to complete the lap and can now start their qualifying campaign.

Today's session sees the Senior, Junior, SuperTwin and Newcomers' A classes away at 6.20pm followed by the Classic, Classic Superbike, Junior Post Classic, Lightweight and Newcomers' B classes at 7.10pm.