An Ingleton motorcycle road racer has won the Junior Classic Manx Grand Prix in his first attempt.

Harley Rushton competed in the Isle of Man's 37.75 mile TT Mountain Course for the first time on his classic racing motorcycles.

Despite the event experiencing the worst weather conditions in more than 20 years, Harley's determination and hard work paid off, earning him a place in the record books.

The road racer spent months preparing for the event, which included tuition, learning the circuit, machine preparation, equipment preparation, and logistical arrangements to get everything to the island.

He completed his newcomer lap following TT course hero John McGuinness, who advised him to look past his rear wheel and take in the course.

Harley said: "That first lap of the course I did, the newcomers lap which everyone has to do behind an instructor was a huge relief.

"I was following John McGuinness, someone I had grown up idolising, that I thought was a hero of the TT course, so to be following him round was only something I could have only ever dreamt of before.

"I realised that all the work I had put into the event before I got there had paid off, I always knew where I was on the circuit and all the sections linked together."

After that newcomers lap it was straight into the first practice/qualifying session of the week. Harley went out and set a lap speed of 94.555mph on his first every lap

However, Harley's the session was cut short due to a mechanical issue, and subsequent sessions were cancelled.

Despite this, Harley approached the race with a positive attitude.

He said: "I just wanted to treat it like another practice lap.

"Consequently, the first few miles, even by my standards as a newcomer, felt poor. I was disappointed in my start to the lap so really started to concentrate from there onwards.

"I had no pit boards so was just racing myself against the course."

He continued: "As I rode under the chequered flag all the cheering and waving felt great, I was just really happy to complete my first race round the mountain course.

"That feeling cannot be replicated."

Unbeknownst to Harley, he had just won the Junior Classic Manx Grand Prix, in his first ever race as a newcomer to the event.

The race unfolded with early race leader Michael Evan's snapping his chain, before a misfire of Nigel Moor's bike caused him to slow, allowing Harley to catch and pass him before he finally retired.

Harley was getting ever increasingly faster as the race progressed and over the last sectors, he was the fastest rider, extending his lead over eventual second place finisher Glen English.

Harley secured his fastest lap of the week at 97.615mph average speed in the race.

He said: "Getting waved into Parc Fermé to be told you were the winner didn’t actually set in for about two weeks.

"This is a result I have dreamt about my entire life and for people to be congratulating me didn’t quite hit home to start with.

"Me, my dad, sister and mum have all played a part in this.

"There had been lots of hard work, heartache, struggles but overall determination to keep trying has to as always be a team effort.

"Not only were my family backing me, but so were Chris Hughes with sponsorship of the bikes and belief in me to race the mountain course, Ted Woof of Craven Classic Racing with all his hard work and dedication towards my racing over the years.

"But what was really special was to have my grandad and dad there in the island supporting me, the two men who were the reason I have devoted so much of my life to motorbikes.

"I also couldn’t have made it to this event without the friends and sponsors who helped me out and saw ability in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.

"I am still lost for words even now, there is one certainty I will not be forgetting 2024 anytime soon."