A man has collapsed and died during Monday’s Belfast Marathon.

The runner, aged in his 50s, encountered difficulties at around the sixth mile, near Victoria Park in East Belfast, and was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in West Belfast, but later died.

A statement from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said: “The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 9:55 on Monday 7 June to report that a male runner, approx 50 years old, in the Belfast Marathon had collapsed on the Sydenham Bypass.

“NIAS were on scene within four minutes having despatched a rapid response paramedic and an accident and emergency crew.

“The patient was assessed and, following initial treatment at the scene, he was brought by ambulance to RVH.”

Two senior members of the management team visited the family in hospital, a spokeswoman for the marathon organisers said.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out later to establish how the competitor died.

Around 17,000 people entered the race, which was won by Eric Koech, from Kenya.

The Belfast City Marathon is one of the city’s showpiece events and attracts thousands of spectators and competitors who also take part in fun runs and relays to raise money for charity.

The event is in its 37th year and featured lots of entrants in fancy dress.

In April, MasterChef finalist Matt Campbell, 29, collapsed at the London Marathon and died later in hospital.

He had been running in memory of his late father.